


Out of My Mind

by VastDelusion



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Anorexia, Depression, Eventual Smut, Jason thinks he can fly, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mental Hospital, Mental Instability, Nico is depressed, Oblivious!Nico, Percy wants to help everyone, Schizophrenia, but it doesn’t really work
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-19 18:00:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 14
Words: 29,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14242758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VastDelusion/pseuds/VastDelusion
Summary: Nico is a depressed teenager with an eating disorder. After his father found out about his self-harm, after knowledge that he no longer was eating, his father took him to a psychiatrist, who admitted him into Serenity Falls Psychiatric Hospital, where he meets many new people: one who thinks he could fly, one that bursts into tears whenever fire is mentioned, a charming bipolar thief, an organizer that takes it way too far, in terms to unintentionally harming herself, and a schizophrenic paranoid named Percy. Percy aggravates Nico to no end, as do the pestilent doctors, Dr. Chiron, Dr. Solace, and Dr. Chase. However, after staying at the hospital for a while, he realizes how corrupt the world is, and maybe Percy could be the remedy to his depression. But how much could a beautiful boy with light eyes cure him?





	1. Chapter 1

Nico stared out of the car window nearest to him at the dreary, blank terrain and the dark skies that were pouring rain. The raindrops flowed down the glass, racing to hit the bottom of the window. If he weren't in this situation, he usually would've bet with Bianca which one would get there first, but he was in that situation, and Bianca was dead. He fought back tears that were threatening to fall down his cheeks in sync with the rain down the window at the memory of his deceased sister, the only person he had trusted in the entire world, which was reduced to none, and it was all his fault.

Mr. di Angelo looked occasionally in the rear view mirror at his son, who was sitting in the backseat with his knees tucked in his arms against his chest. He gave him a concerned look before turning his gaze back onto the road past the wipers that were swishing against the windshield. His son never returned his glances since the doctor had insisted that he should be taken to a place that could help cure him, to make him turn from his lack of eating and deep, suicidal depression state. Nico was convinced that it would never work; he would always feel empty without his sister, so empty he thought he was purposeless, and he didn't want to live a purposeless life. That, and he just wasn't hungry. No one would understand, they didn't lose their only person that they could fully trust, and it was all their fault. 

The car slowed and soon halted as they reached their destination. Nico's feeling of dread only increased as his father unlocked the car. "Well, we're here," Mr. di Angelo told the boy, a fact which Nico already knew quite well. "I'm sure the escort will be here soon." 

Nico's gaze reverted from the window to the clean, black-carpeted floor of the car as he gave a slight, quiet hum in response. His feet slipped off of the leather interior and landed on the floor. Nico uncrossed his arms from his chest, which was sort of a habit for him, not switching his gaze to his expectant father, but back to the window. Eventually, he saw a kind-looking, and wet, lady approaching the car and she tapped on the driver's seat window. His dad rolled down the window, and was greeted instantly by rain and a happy voice, which Nico could tell was fake, since who would be that happy in the pouring rain, let alone at a mental hospital? 

"Hello, my name is Katie Gardner," the lady said cheerfully. "I'm your escort. Are you Mr. di Angelo?" 

"Yes," Nico's father replied. "This is my son, Nico." 

Nico continued to look away from his father, except that time, he was examining the interior, tracing along the indents in the smooth leather. 

"So, this is Nico," Katie grinned. "I've heard a lot about you." 

"I'm sure you have," Nico muttered. 

"Well, come on." Katie beckoned Nico out of the car as Mr. di Angelo opened the trunk by pressing the yellow button in the glove box. 

Nico hesitantly opened the car door and stepped out into the rain. He met with the escort out by the back of the car, already getting soaked by the cold precipitation. Nico and Katie grabbed his bags of necessities out of the trunk and closed it before walking towards the hospital. He looked back at his father, who waved at him, but he scowled and looked away. "He's basically locking me up in this hellhole," Nico thought. "The nerve of him to wave at me." 

With a few squeaks of their wet shoes and leaving a trail of raindrops the white tile floor, Katie led Nico into the hospital and guided him to the main office. The first thing Nico noticed about Serenity Falls Psychiatric Hospital was that it was, well, white. The walls, the trim, the floor, the doorways were all white. The only things that weren't white were the couches, the side tables that were adjacent to them, and the main desk. The place was decently decorated. The decorators were no Persephone, but they did alright, in Nico's perspective. Seated behind the desk was a gentle, kind-looking lady with dark skin and curly brown hair. The trait that stood out most from the girl was her golden eyes. 

"Hello, there," she greeted in a friendly-sounding voice. "I'm Hazel Levesque. What's your name?" 

"N-Nico di Angelo," he stuttered shyly. He had to admit he was nervous, since it wasn't every day he was being put into a mental ward. 

"Oh, Nico," she said, looking through a clutter of papers that scattered her desk. "We were expecting you." Her golden eyes lit up when she eyed a piece of paper. "Ah, there it is." She grabbed the piece of paper and handed it to him. "That is your schedule and a few rules." 

Nico frowned at the piece of paper in his hand, seeing the first section: SCHEDULE. He grimaced at the first thing on the list: 7:30, Wake Up. He was used to waking up whenever he pleased back at the house. But, that wasn't the house. It was the house for crazy people, not the one he knew. 

Katie excused herself to go get the doctors. He continued to read the writing on the paper: 

8:00 - 9:00, Breakfast 9:15 - 10:15, Group Therapy 10:30 - 12:00, Counseling 12:15 - 13:15, Lunch 13:30 - 15:00 Art Therapy (or Visiting Hours second Sunday of every month) 15:15 - 16:00, Outside Time 16:15 - 17:15, Free Time 17:30 - 18:30, Dinner 18:45 - 19:45, Socially Productive Time 20:00 - 21:00, Showers 21:15 - 21:30, Issue Medication 21:45 - 22:00, Bed Prep 22:00, Bed Time Saturdays are Group Therapy Days, Sundays are Free Days. 

He groaned, thinking that he would never memorize that schedule. He scanned more down the page before seeing five large bolded letters: RULES. He began to read the rules and regulations of the place where he didn't want to be. 

1.) No sharp objects are permitted, which includes weapons, razors, mirrors, picture frames, glass objects, etc. Pens and pencils can be compromised. 

2.) By 22:00, you are confined to your room. You may not go outside of your room, or consequences will be enforced. 

3.) Leave valuables such as jewelry, MP3 players, cell phones, portable DVD players, or laptops at home, or send them home as soon as possible, as they are not allowed on the unit. 

"Damn it," Nico thought. "There goes my laptop and my cell phone." 

4.) According to hospital policy, any objects that are considered unsafe will be locked away until patient's discharge. 

5.) At their discharge, patients must check and see if they have collected all of their belongings. Note that any found unclaimed objects will be kept for two weeks at the desk. 

6.) If patient does not have personal items, such as deodorant/antiperspirant, hairbrush, toothbrush, and toothpaste, some can be supplied at the hospital, or must be acquired as soon as possible. Pads/tampons are not supplied here, so patient must have someone who is visiting bring them in if they are needed. Toiletries such as hair elastics with metal, razors, glass containers, mirrors, and toiletries containing alcohol must be left at home, since they are not permitted on the unit, and can be used to self-harm or harm others. 

He hadn't finished the rules yet, but Katie interrupted, standing with two blonde people, one a man, the other a woman. They were both dressed in white, so Nico decided that they were the doctors Katie was talking about. 

"Hello, I'm Dr. William Solace, you can call me Will or Dr. Solace," the male doctor greeted. 

"I'm Dr. Annabeth Chase, you may call me Annabeth or Dr. Chase," the female one said. "We will be observing, recording, and trying to improve your behavior for the next few months." 

Dr. Chase was fairly pretty, with her tan skin and well-placed facial features. She had shining, calculating grey eyes, but you couldn't read the emotion in them, which Nico found irritating. Her blonde hair was pulled into a wavy ponytail of blonde curls, of which a portion was flowing over her shoulder. She was the kind of girl any straight guy would fall head over heels for, but, for Nico di Angelo, he wasn't interested in girls. She was also the kind of girl you know you don't want to mess with, and Nico knew that he wouldn't. He was intending on following the rules so he could get out of that place quicker. 

However, for Dr. William Solace, he was breathtakingly handsome, from his bright blue eyes to his sun-kissed skin, Nico didn't understand how anyone was able to take their eyes off of him. He basically radiated sunlight, and he had a smile that graced his features. Nico could tell Dr. Solace's smile wasn't fake, like Dr. Chase's. The smile went to his eyes, which was something that would make anyone feel calm. Sunlight wasn't exactly the domain where Nico liked to tread, but he could see that Will was trying to help people. 

Eventually, a few guards came in and looked through Nico's belongings, recording the things in it. One hairbrush. One pair of flip-flops. Twelve pairs of underwear and ten pairs of socks. Three boxes of tissues. They finished digging through the contents of the bag of his possessions, only confiscating his laptop, his cell phone, and a picture frame, one that held a picture of him and Bianca. He was allowed to keep the picture, just not the frame. They locked the rest in a locker and told him that he could access them when he asked. Nico nodded in response. 

"So, where do I sleep?" Nico asked. 

"You sleep in the East Wing, where the boys are. The girls live in the West Wing." Hazel smiled warmly at Nico. 

The doctors led Nico into the recreational room, which was called the "Day Room". Nico observed that everyone wore hospital gowns or scrubs. For those who wore hospital gowns, some wore a second hospital gown backwards to cover their backside, others wore pants that had waistbands around them so they wouldn't slip down. Nico suddenly wished he could wear his own clothes, since the patients' apparel looked ridiculous. The clothes that looked the least ridiculous were the white hospital scrubs some of the patients wore, and Nico hoped he would receive those instead of the hideous hospital gowns. 

"Hello," a voice said out of nowhere. "You must be Nicholas di Angelo." 

Nico jumped about three feet in the air. He looked behind him and saw a middle-aged man in a wheelchair rolling toward him. The man was wearing spectacles that sat on the bridge of his nose and had a receding hairline. The hair he had left was brown and he had a kind smile. 

"Um, yeah, that's me," Nico said quietly. "I go by Nico, though." 

"Okay, Nico," the man smiled, pulling his wheelchair to a halt. "I am Dr. Chiron, the head doctor of this hospital." Nico gave a nod, his gaze drifting to the floor. "So, based upon your records, we'll start you off as a plus two," Dr. Chiron told him, looking down at his clipboard. 

"A what?" Nico gave the doctor a confused look. 

"A plus two," Chiron replied. "It is where you are observed by two nurses. It's just hospital slang." 

"Why two?" 

"You have suicidal tendencies and have deliberately harmed yourself in the past, so we have to put you under supervision." 

Nico understood, but he didn't want to be watched by a nurse, let alone two. "Okay." 

"I will explain how things go here," Chiron said, beginning to roll away in his wheelchair. Nico stood there, not sure whether to follow him, or just stay there. Chiron beckoned him, answering his question. "Come on, I'll give you a little tour as well, as the nurses are fetching your clothing." 

Nico felt a feeling of anxiety wash over him like a wave as Dr. Chiron showed him the cafeteria, the East Wing, which included the bedrooms, the bathroom, and the room where the showers were, a small part of the West Wing, including the general area where the girls' rooms were, but they strode by a door that had no sign on it. 

"What's in there?" Nico asked. 

"Nothing, just a room we don't use anymore," Dr. Chiron responded. Dr. Chiron's response left Nico curious about what was beyond the door. He did the same with another door. "That's just the basement," he said. 

He showed him the Canteen, where the patients could buy coffee, chewing gum, and other delicacies, like ice cream. Nico liked the coffee part, and it made him thankful he had some money in his toiletries bag, he was just hating the fact that he would have to spend the next few months there, however, he was still filled of curiosity about what was behind that door, and what was in the basement.


	2. Chapter 2

"This is your room," Dr. Chiron told him, opening the door and showing it to him. "Your roommate will be here shortly."

Nico stepped into the room that would be his for the dreaded next few months. It smelled clean, generic. One half of the room was tidy, with a lightning bolt patterned blanket hanging neatly and flawlessly over the foot of the bed, which was so neat, that there wasn't a single wrinkle in sight, and nothing was out of place. 

On the other side of the room, it was blank white, excluding the light blue blanket on the foot of the bed and the walls, which were a light shade of tan. It was too pastel, in Nico's opinion. There was a single white pillow at the head of the bed, which was probably the thinnest and least comfortable pillow he had ever felt. He was grateful that he had brought his own, which was memory foam and comfortable. He pressed his hand down on the mattress, which was not as comfy as his own bed at home, but he would still be able to sleep on it. He sat down on the bed, caressing the blankets with his fingertips. 

His clothes that were issued to him were already folded neatly and placed in the locker next to his bed. He took that message as that he had to change. He stood up, discarded his shirt and began to slide his jeans down his thighs as the door burst open, startling him. In the doorway stood a tall boy with raven hair and a nice figure. Nico wondered if this boy was his roommate. The boy gave Nico a once-over, from his face, to his bare chest, to his black boxers that contrasted with his pale skin, to the black skinny jeans that pooled around his feet. Nico observed the boy's features as well. He had bright sea-green eyes that glowed with amusement. His skin was tanned, as if he spent every day on the beach, not to mention his well-toned body. 

Nico then realized he was staring and what situation he was in, and his cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment as he reached down and lifted his jeans back up his legs. 

"Aw, you don't have to get all dressed up for me," the boy whined playfully, which caused more blood to rush into Nico's face. Nico leaned to grab his t-shirt off of the floor. "So, you're the new kid I heard about. Not bad. Not bad at all." The boy's eyes looked him over once again from top to bottom. 

"Is he checking me out?" Nico wondered, which made him feel even more nervous. 

"A-are you my roommate?" he asked insecurely. 

"Me?" the boy asked with a pleased smirk. "No, that's Jason." 

"Then who are you?" Nico glared at the boy and his audacity to waste his time by bursting into the room without knocking, and not even being his roommate. Also, he found it quite unsettling that this boy had seen him mostly naked, and he didn't even know his name. Nico clenched his t-shirt in his fists in frustration as the boy just checked him out again. 

"I should ask you the same, beautiful," the boy smirked, raising a single eyebrow. 

Nico's slowly fading redness was restored, and his eyes widened at the other male's remark. His face then returned into a scowl, he glared at the boy, and he pulled his t-shirt over his head. "I asked you first, basket case," he retorted. 

The boy's face broke into a playful grin. "If you must know, I'm Percy Jackson." He tilted his head to the side in amusement, his sea green eyes shining with delight and his raven hair flipping to the side as he leaned casually against the doorway. "Now, what do they call you? Lovely? Your Royal Hotness? Twenty out of ten?" 

Nico rolled his eyes. "Nic-" 

"What are you doing in my room, Jackson?" a voice asked from behind Percy. 

"Checking out your new, very attractive roommate, Grace," Percy replied. 

"Who, now?" A blonde boy pulled Percy out of the doorway. He was slightly taller than Percy, roughly the same build, but less tan and less attractive, in Nico's opinion. "Oh. Hi. Nobody told me you were here." Nico looked down at the floor nervously. "I'm Jason Grace." 

"Nico di Angelo." 

Percy returned to his position in the doorway as Jason fully entered the room and offered Nico a handshake. Nico hesitantly accepted the blonde male's hand as he looked over at Percy, who had an amused grin plastered in his face, his eyes still shining as if they were the sunlight reflecting off of the waves of an ocean. Or perhaps they had captured all of the lights, by the way they were dancing in them. They had enraptured Nico, fascinated him. It made him frustrated about how perfect someone's appearance could be. However, Nico was sure that darkness lurked somewhere inside of the seemingly perfect male. After all, look where they were. 

"Well, I'm your roommate, I guess," Jason shrugged, pulling his hand away. 

Nico nodded at him, for once ignoring the dark-haired boy leaning casually against the doorway, who stared admirably at the younger boy, who was so skinny, it broke his heart. However, Percy could see that he was a small voice calling for help, someone nobody else wanted, so they dumped him here. Just like him. He didn't know why he had this fascination with Nico di Angelo, since he never had as much curiosity about someone, but he just needed to know about him. It was like Nico was an angel, but it wasn't about his surname, but it was because he was so beautifully crafted, if only his cheeks weren't so hollow, and he had the makings of a beautiful body, excluding his ribcage and collarbone that protruded too far out from under his skin, and the scars that littered his arms and thighs, the sight of them making Percy want to cry. If only he could fix those things, along with the dark circles underneath the boy's eyes, and he had full intention to. 

Jason sat on his bed and gave a smile to his new roommate, picking up a coloring book and setting a box of crayons next to him. He daintily selected a bright orange crayon out of the box of various, vibrant colors. Percy joined Jason on his bed, looking closely over the other boy's shoulder at what he was coloring. Jason tensed up and moved his shoulder, clearly uncomfortable by the close proximity of the two, not liking the fact that Percy was breathing down his neck while he was coloring. Nico rolled his eyes at the childish teenagers and picked up the pile of clothes the hospital had set out for him, walking out of the room. He remembered where the bathroom was from when Dr. Chiron toured him through the unit. 

He pushed open the door and set his clothes next to the sink, looking at the bare walls where a mirror would've been in his house. He turned on a faucet in one of the sinks and placed his hands underneath, feeling the cool water running through his fingers. He lifted his hands and splashed the water on his face. His breathing got deeper as he leaned over the sink, relishing the feeling of the cold liquid dripping down his face. 

Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder boomed from outside, causing him to jump in surprise. He cursed himself for being startled so quickly. However, the thunder reminded him of a distant memory from his childhood. It was so long ago, the memory was blurry, but he could recall most of what happened. 

He was six at the time, and it was at night. He was cowering under his blankets, frightened by the loud, raging thunderstorm that was occurring. He heard another loud crack from outside. With a scream, he raced down the hallway as fast as he could, barreling towards Bianca's room. He bounded into her bedroom and climbed into her bed, panting. Bianca sat up and held her younger brother close to her, murmuring sweet nothings to get him to calm down. 

"Everything's going to be all right, mio caro," Bianca assured, holding her brother tightly. "It's just thunder." 

To help his racing heartbeat and breathing slow, she sang him a gentle, slow lullaby, which was the part Nico could remember most, and sometimes he found himself humming it, even nine years later, her singing voice ringing in his ears. Bianca hadn't the most beautiful singing voice in the world, but it was to Nico. He loved the ways she smoothed the notes together as she sang the calming words. He fell asleep in her warm and comforting arms that night, the skies still roaring outside, and Bianca was stroking Nico's hair fondly as he emitted even breaths, curled up at her side. 

A tear streamed down Nico's face, along with the faucet water. He turned the faucet off, and dried his face off with his t-shirt. After he had dabbled all of the drops of liquid on his face, a male nurse came into the bathroom. He was tall and bulky, someone you wouldn't expect that would work at a psychiatric hospital. He had an Asian look to him, being tan and his facial structure. He had dark brown to black hair, and he had an awkward aura surrounding him, like he was going to trip over everything. 

"I'm sorry, I was supposed to watch you, but I got caught up," he apologized. 

"It's okay." Nico glanced down at the floor. "Wait, are you supposed to watch me get dressed?" 

"Um, just a precaution, because of what your dad said about the self-harming things," the nurse said awkwardly. 

"Isn't there supposed to be another nurse?" Nico asked confusedly. 

"Um, yeah, I think so," the nurse replied. "And, technically, I'm an intern." 

"Oh," Nico said. "Well, I guess that works." 

Dr. Solace came into the bathroom and leaned against the sink. "Sorry, no one else was available at the moment, so I am here to help supervise. I know this must feel uncomfortable, but we are here to make sure you don't do anything to harm yourself." 

"Uncomfortable doesn't even begin to explain it," Nico muttered. 

"Just get dressed into the clothing and hand yours to me, okay?" Will smiled assuringly, which made Nico roll his eyes when he turned his head. 

Reluctantly, Nico slipped his t-shirt over his head and placed it on the sink, not liking the feeling that the two nurses were watching him. He pulled his skinny jeans down his legs and stepped out of them before folding them up and putting them next to his shirt. He was absolutely mortified, and it showed in the redness of his cheeks. He quickly got dressed in the hospital apparel, and to be honest, that had been one of the most humiliating parts of his entire life, other than when Percy had walked in on him getting undressed earlier. "At least I didn't have to change out of my underwear while they were watching," Nico thought embarrassedly. 

He frowned at his scrubs, which were too white for his liking, but at least he got scrubs, rather than those awful-looking hospital gowns. Will and Frank had left the room, Nico soon followed. 

He pushed open the bathroom door and began to trudge down the hallway in an unenthusiastic manner before the realization hit him that he didn't remember where his room was. All of the doors looked identical and he didn't bother to observe which room number it was, he was focused on how awful the next few months were going to be. Nico mentally slapped and cursed himself for being so stupid and self-centered. He began to inspect the rooms to see if one looked familiar until he saw a short, dark-curly-haired boy walking down the hallway, staring at his shoes and clutching a stuffed dragon in his hand. He looked like a Latino elf with his height and pointy features. 

"Um, excuse me, do you know where Jason's room is?" Nico asked him. The short boy looked at him with a frightened expression in his face. "Uh, I'm new here and I'm kind of lost, so can you please tell me?" The boy backed away. "I'm sorry, but can you please tell me where his room is?" He still got no response from the boy, who was looking at him and shivering as if he had brutally murdered three people right before his eyes. 

"Leo?" Jason came down the hall and approached Nico and the afraid boy he was trying to talk to. Upon Jason's arrival, the boy's cheeks tinted pink, along with the tips of his pointy ears, and he glanced down at the floor. "Are you all right?" Jason bent down to be eye-level with the short boy. In response, Leo nodded slightly, at which Jason gave him a kind smile. "Leo, this is Nico," Jason explained. "He's new here." 

"I know," Leo whispered to Jason. 

"Sorry," Jason apologized to Nico. "He doesn't like new things." 

"It's okay," Nico replied. "I'm not too fond of new things, either." Leo gave Nico a small smile, which Nico somewhat returned. 

"What were you trying to tell him, now?" Jason asked. 

Nico opened his mouth to speak, but Leo beat him to it. "He was asking me where your room was," Leo responded quietly. "By the way, it is right there, down the hall, fourth door to the left." He pointed at a door that looked like all of the other ones. Next to it, there was a metal plate with the number 7 engraved into it. 

Nico nodded and bid the elfish boy a thank you before he headed into his new room, leaving Jason and Leo alone in the hallway. 

"Nico's my roommate," Nico heard Jason say. 

He looked around in his room, everything the same as it was before he changed into his new clothes in the bathroom. Percy had left, and there was no sign that he was there in the first place, except a permanent memory that was engraved into Nico's brain. Nico sat on his bed, running a pale hand through his midnight hair when something caught his eye. He saw Jason's coloring book that he left on his bed. He knew it was none of his business, but his curiosity got the best of him after a while, so he stood up to see what it was. 

On Jason's bed lied a half-colored picture of a dragon in flight, but the parts that were colored were solid, shaded, and tinted, a color scheme which Nico wished he was capable of, and there was a small note next to it in neat, organized handwriting. Nico thought it was rude to look, so he went back to his own bed, where he soon wondered what Jason had written. He didn't want to be known as "Nosy Nico" or something stupid like that on his first day here, but he soon ceceded to the voices in his head and decided to look. 

He walked over to Jason's bed, picking up the piece of paper in his hand and began to read, 

"Dear Leo, 

I have liked you for a while now, more than just friends. I know that may sound weird, but I can't deny my feelings for you any longer, and all I can hope is that you feel the same way about me. If you do, I am extremely grateful, and perhaps we" 

The note ended there, and Nico felt kind of guilty. He knew he shouldn't have read it, it was too personal. He placed it back where he had found it and stepped toward his bed. However, Nico couldn't deny how endearing Jason's letter to Leo was, though. In fact, he was trying to hold back the grin that was fighting its way onto his face.


	3. Chapter 3

Free Time had passed and Nico was forced to attend dinner, at which he just poked at his food with plastic utensils. Although he had gotten there before everyone else had, and the fact only a couple of doctors and nurses were in the room, the place still seemed crowded. The place felt suffocating, as if the walls were closing in on him, and it made him feel cramped and claustrophobic. "Maybe it's just the anxiety of a new place," Nico thought.

He poked at his food on his plate with his fork, sometimes picking the food up on the utensil and tilting the fork to make the food fall back onto the plate. The food looked extremely unappetizing, but what food didn't? He just wasn't hungry anymore, not since Bianca died. 

"Aren't you going to eat?" a female voice asked from in front of him. 

Nico didn't even notice more people had gathered in the room, conversing and eating their food. He looked up and his gaze was met with a girl with a white smile and expectant eyes. By the looks of her, she looked about seventeen, and she was pretty good-looking. Her eyes were like kaleidoscopes, mixes of browns and greens and blues. "No." 

"Why not?" She gave him a concerned look. 

"I'm not hungry," Nico responded. 

"You're as skinny as a twig," she retorted. "You've gotta eat something, or the docs are probably gonna force feed you." 

"I'm not hungry," Nico repeated. 

"Well, die from starvation if you wanna, New Kid," the girl said, standing up from the chair and walking away. She met up with a couple of her friends, at least Nico thought they were her friends, and began to talk to them. They laughed and looked over at Nico, for Piper to tell them something else, causing them to laugh again. Nico rolled his eyes at the females, continuing to mess with the food on his plate. 

"How did you make Piper leave so fast?" a playful voice joked. "You should tell me your secret, I would like to know so I can do it." 

Nico looked over and saw Percy smirking at him. "What do you want, Percy?" 

"Well, that was a cold greeting, di Angelo," Percy replied. "Especially since I'm your first friend and all." 

"You're not my friend," Nico returned. 

"Ouch, that hurts, you know," he said. "I'm trying to help you." 

"Don't," Nico responded. "What do you want?" 

"I want to be your friend, and I want you to eat." 

"The world is not a wish-granting factory, Jackson," Nico said, poking at his food. 

"Please?" 

"No." 

"Pretty please?" 

"No." 

"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" 

"No." 

"Can you at least do the eating part?" 

"No." 

"How about just being my friend?" 

"No." 

"Why not?" 

"Because of reasons." 

"I'm still gonna work on you," Percy told him. "Now, unlike you, I'm actually hungry and I'm going to get something to eat." 

Nico rolled his eyes as Percy approached the food-serving station. 

"What did Percy want?" Jason asked, sitting across from Nico. 

"He wanted to be my friend," Nico replied, his gaze returning to his plate, and he continued to poke at his food. 

"You should stay away from him," Jason instructed. "He's not a good person, as much as he looks like it." 

"I've figured that much." 

"You don't know the beginning of it," Jason said. "I've seen him get manually sedated so many times, since he refused to take his medication, it's not even funny. I've seen him kick doctors and guards in not very nice places, he pesters so many patients, telling them about how their cases aren't real. For example, there's a kid here named Ethan Nakamura. He's here because he gouged out one of his eyes, thinking that his dead mother told him to, right?" Nico's expression changed to one of disgust. "I know, but he and Percy get into so many fights about how his mother didn't tell him to, and it often gets physical. I'll give you some advice about this place, and that is stay away from Percy." 

"Noted," Nico responded. He noticed Leo standing behind Jason hesitantly, wearing an expression of nervousness. He held his plate of food in his shaky hands, and his stuffed dragon was tucked in his arm. Nico wondered if he was waiting for an invitation to sit down with them. "You can sit with us if you want to, Leo." 

Jason turned in his seat. "Oh, Leo, I didn't even notice you were here. You can sit next to me." 

Leo nodded and shakily set his plate down on the table in the vacant spot next to Jason, followed by his dragon, then sat down. 

"So, what exactly is wrong with him?" Nico asked. 

"Believe it or not, he's a schizophrenic paranoid," Jason replied. 

"Really?" Nico had an expression of confusion on his face from Percy's diagnosis. "I thought Percy was in a lot deeper than schizophrenic, because of the way he acted, but that must've been part of the diagnosis," he thought. 

"Yeah, his behavior is one of the symptoms of it," Jason told him. 

"Whoops, did I say that out loud?" 

"Yes," Jason and Leo said at the same time. 

"Well, I guess he's pretty self-promoting," Nico told them. 

"Yeah, he is," Leo agreed quietly. "He thinks he's better than everyone else, but I guess we can't say anything, or he will pester us." 

Nico nodded in response. For the rest of the Dinner period, he conversed lightly with Jason and Leo, who he decided were pretty nice people, considering that they were in a Psychiatric Hospital, where Nico expected everyone to be psychotic and deranged, but they weren't so bad. They actually seemed friendly, and Nico was grateful that he actually found a couple of people he didn't mind to be around on his first day. 

The Dinner period eventually came to an end, and it was time for Socially Productive Time, which was just a fancy way of saying, "Chores". Nico was responsible for mopping the cafeteria floor, which was not as bad as doing the dishes or cleaning the bathrooms. It didn't take that long, and they got to have a little Free Time after they got done. Afterwards, Nico asked the front office if he could have his slippers, his flip-flops, and his pajamas. They handed the apparel to the midnight-haired boy and he went up to his room to wait for his shower. Jason came into the room and told him it was his turn after about ten minutes, his blonde hair still slightly wet from his shower. 

There were only three stalls to shower in, so only three people of the same gender were supposed to shower at one time. Fortunately for Nico, the hospital supplied towels for him to use. However, unfortunately for him, the three people had to undress in front of each other, and one of the people there was Percy Jackson. 

"It's all right, di Angelo," Percy smirked. "I've seen you mostly naked before." 

Nico glared at the schizophrenic boy as he shed his pants. Percy chuckled in response and slid his shirt over his head, exposing his chest and hard stomach, which Nico was amazed at. "How is he capable of his abs looking like that while he's in here?" Nico thought. "Is there some secret underground weight room that no one knows about?" 

"Hey, di Angelo," Percy said. Nico snapped back into reality, and blushed when he realized he had been staring. "Take a picture, it'll last longer." 

"I can't, the stupid hospital took my phone," Nico muttered incoherently. 

They finished getting undressed and everyone got into the shower. The water felt warm against Nico's cold skin, and it felt comforting, like he wasn't in a place he didn't want to be, that he didn't need to be. He squirted a quarter-sized amount of the contents of the bottle of shampoo/conditioner/body wash in his palm, and began to lather it into his wet, black hair. He rinsed the soap out of his hair and rinsed himself off one more time before leaving the stall. 

He grabbed a towel off of a chair and covered himself so the shower attendant didn't see anything Nico didn't want him to. He pulled his pants up his legs underneath the towel before putting it in the laundry and slid his shirt over his head. 

Nico asked if he was free to go to his room and was granted permission. He walked down the hall and entered his room, which number he remembered. Jason sat on his bed, his back against the headboard, trying to finish coloring the picture. 

"Hey, Jason," Nico greeted. "What are you coloring?" 

"A picture," Jason replied simply, his hand moving as the colored wax moved across the paper. 

"Well, I know that much." Nico sat on his bed sideways so he faced his roommate. "What kind of picture are you coloring?" 

"A black and white one." 

"What kind of black and white one?" 

"A black and white one that you're supposed to color," Jason retorted, not looking up from his lap. 

"Obviously," Nico said. "What kind of black and white picture that you're supposed to color?" 

"A dragon." Jason's sky blue eyes met Nico's brown ones, basically challenging him to ask another question. 

"A dragon?" Nico raised an eyebrow. 

"Yes, a dragon." Jason mimicked Nico's expression. 

"Why?" 

"Because." 

Nico could tell Jason didn't want to be asked twenty questions right then, so he kept to himself and caressed his blanket with his fingertips before giving a bored sigh and standing up, walking out of the room, starting for the front desk of the hospital. He asked Hazel at the front desk if he could have his pillow, blanket, and a couple of his books. She gave him a friendly smile and retrieved the items for the boy, the blanket folded up and the pillow and books placed neatly on top of it. He grabbed his possessions from the kind woman and headed back to his room to find a nurse handing Jason a couple of pills. 

Nico put his objects in his room and draped his blanket over the bed. He put his books on the table by the bedside and put the pillow at the head of the bed, on top of the other one the hospital had let him use. 

Jason walked back in and lied in his bed. "When you have your therapy session with Will, Annabeth, or Dr. Brunner, they'll get you some medication," he told the dark-haired boy. 

"Dr. Brunner?" 

"Dr. Chiron," Jason explained. 

"Oh, he didn't tell me his last name," Nico said. 

"Really?" Jason asked. "He barely ever lets patients address him by his first name." 

"Well, that's how he introduced himself," Nico shrugged. 

"That's interesting." 

"Time for bed!" a nurse called from the hallway. "Lights out." 

Jason turned off the lights in the room and then covered himself in his blanket, turning over to face the wall. Nico curled into his blankets like they were his lifeline, burying his face into his pillows, straining to hold back tears as the realization washed over him that he couldn't go home. Not for a while.


	4. Chapter 4

"Wake up!" Jason shook Nico, the boy waking with a start.

"W-wha?" Nico asked in a sleepy tone, his voice groggy. His eyes strained from the light in the room, which, in his opinion, was the worst way of waking up. He forced his eyes open and sat up, rubbing the fatigue out of his eyes with the back of his hands. 

"It's time to wake up, we've got to go to breakfast," Jason said. 

Nico reluctantly got up with a groan and stretched his arms, hearing a satisfying crack. He pulled on some scrubs, ran a quick brush through his hair, brushed his teeth and joined Jason as they walked out of the room and down the hall to breakfast. Breakfast wasn't that different than dinner had been, except, this time, he felt a pair of arms snake around his waist from behind and something rest on the top of his head. 

"What do you want?" Nico sighed. 

"I want to know if you're planning on eating today," a familiar husky voice replied. 

"No, I am not," Nico said. 

"Well, that's a shame," Percy responded, burying his face in the shorter boy's hair. "I would like to see you eat more." 

"I would like to see you go away," Nico remarked. 

"If you eat, I'll go away," Percy told him, his voice muffled by Nico's hair. "That's my final offer." 

Nico looked over to Jason for support. "Help me, please?" he mouthed. 

"Percy, he should eat if he pleases, for now," Jason said. "Leave it for the doctors, it's their job, not yours." 

"I don't recall asking for your opinion, Peter Pan," Percy retorted, taking his face out of Nico's hair to look at Jason. Nico took that chance and unraveled himself from Percy's arms. 

"Hey," Leo spoke up nervously, shaking as usual. "We don't need to get all-" 

"Well, Hot Stuff, this is how the world works," Percy snapped. "Hey, you know what else is hot? Fire." Leo choked out a sob and was immediately aided by Jason and Nico rushing to his side as he began crying. "That's pathetic, you're sixteen years old, and you start crying whenever anyone mentions fire." Leo began crying harder. 

"Stop that!" Nico shouted. "The only pathetic one here is you, for picking on people for just being here. Well, wake up, genius, guess who else is here? I'll give you a hint, it's not the Easter Bunny." 

"You're here, too," Percy said. "And don't think that I don't know that I'm here." 

"Then treat the other patients with respect!" Nico snapped. "Respect is when you treat another person like they're a person, not like a sack of garbage." 

Percy looked at Nico with shock. "A rule-follower," he thought. "People are taking him seriously. He's standing up to me. Conclusion: he's hot." 

"Come on, Leo, let's bring you to the nurses," Nico assured the curly-haired boy as he and Jason led him out of the room, leaving Percy awestruck. 

\- - - - - 

"So, Nico, after Bianca's death was when you stopped eating?" Dr. Solace asked, writing a few things down on a notepad. 

"Yeah," Nico confirmed. 

"Why did you stop eating? Did you feel like you didn't need to, or that you didn't want to?" The blonde doctor's bright blue eyes looked into Nico's, which made the boy lose his tension, but not want to be there at the same time. 

"No, I'm just not hungry," Nico responded. 

"Are you forcing yourself not to be hungry?" 

"No, I just lost my appetite." 

"Okay." He wrote down Nico's response. "Do you still have nightmares about the car accident?" 

"Sometimes," Nico answered, Dr. Solace writing his response on the notepad yet again. 

"Well, that will do it for today." Will smiled at him, which only made Nico feel uneasy. "Thank you for cooperating." 

Nico nodded and walked out of the office, aiming towards his room, before his foot slid on something and he fell to the floor. A tan girl whose hair was pulled back in a coffee-colored braid and obsidian eyes that looked a couple of years older than him kneeled at his side and offered to help him up. He accepted her hand and he stood up. 

"Thank you," he told her, pleased at least someone considerate was at that place. 

"No problem," she said. 

He began to walk away, until she spoke to him. "Wait, have you seen my book?" she asked. "I was organizing them, and I can't find it. I bet Octavian was behind it, he's always hiding my things just to be a jerk." 

"That must've been the thing I slid on," he thought, looking behind him. Sure enough, there was a rectangle-shaped object in the floor lying in the middle of the hallway. He walked over to it and picked it up, brushing it off. He walked back to the coffee-haired girl and handed it to her. 

"Thank you," she told him. 

"I'm sorry, but I accidentally tripped over it," Nico said embarrassedly. 

"You tripped over a book?" the girl asked amusedly. 

"Well, I didn't trip over it, more like slid on it," Nico revised, but it didn't make it sound much better. 

The girl laughed. "It's okay, we're all clumsy sometimes." She gave Nico a smile. "I'm Reyna." 

"Nico." He held out his hand, only for her to look at it with disdain. "What?" 

"I don't like touching. At all. It's weird for me." 

"Oh, I'm sorry. To be honest, I don't like being touched that much, either." 

"Yeah, I don't blame you, especially when Percy Jackson is hanging off of you like Tarzan on a vine," Reyna said, causing Nico to feel heat rise in his cheeks. 

"I-I don't know why he acts like that with me," Nico stuttered. "I don't see him like that with anyone else." 

"He usually acts like that with any new kid. He'll have his fun and move on, I'm sure," Reyna assured. 

"I hope so," Nico muttered. 

Reyna nodded in response. "Well, thanks again," she said as she walked off to her room. 

"You too," Nico called after her and continued down the hall to his room. 

When he walked in, Jason wasn't in there, so Nico figured that he was still in his session. He sat on his bed, picked up a book from the nightstand, and began reading it. It was a book he hadn't read before, so he was happy about it. It was only the first book in the series, but he had the other five with him, which would last a while. After he had dived deep into the book, a voice tore him back into reality. "Whatcha reading?" 

He looked up to be met with a pair of bright sea green eyes peeking over the top of the book, which startled him. "Percy, you should knock first before entering someone else's room, because that's how you get incidents like yesterday to happen," Nico said, marking his place, closing the book, and setting it on the side table. 

"Why?" 

"Well, I don't want you to see me naked, just in case if that happens." 

"Aww, but that's actually what I want to see," Percy pouted. Nico glared at him. "It's true." 

"Do you realize just how perverted you are?" 

"Yes, yes I do," Percy grinned. 

Nico rolled his eyes and pushed Percy out of his room, despite the protests the older boy gave. "I still don't like you, so stop trying." 

"I'm not trying," Percy said, not struggling against Nico's force. "If I were, you would like me." 

"Highly doubt that." Nico pushed Percy out of the doorway and closed the door. 

"Would you like me to try?" Nico heard from the other side of the door. 

"No," he told him. 

"Why not?" Percy asked. 

"Because you're a conceited, selfish jerk." 

"Ouch, that hurts, di Angelo." 

"It wasn't exactly supposed to be nice." 

"And you tell me to respect other patients," Percy said. 

"Touché, but you don't, so I don't respect you," Nico told him and he walked away from the door and picked up his book, trying to read from where he left off, ignoring Percy still trying to talk to him. 

"Get away from Nico, Jackson," Jason said to Percy. He opened the door and closed it behind him before walking over to his bed and coloring. Percy walked away, but Nico knew he would come back to pester him again. 

\- - - - - 

"Art Therapy was the dumbest thing I had to do in my life," Nico complained, resting his elbows on the table. He had just finished washing the clay from his skin and under his fingernails. He had no idea how so much clay could get under his fingernails from only an hour and a half of making a vase that looked nothing like a vase. "Therapy, my ass," he thought disdainfully. "All it does is make me frustrated." 

"You're only complaining because your vase looked like a dying dog," Reyna commented, putting a forkful of food into her mouth. Leo and Jason nodded in agreement. "It's all right, Nico, you'll get it eventually." 

"I'm not sure I will, it's difficult," Nico said, poking at his own food. 

"We all did," Jason said. "You'll get used to it." 

"How long exactly were you guys here?" 

"A year and a half," Jason told him. 

"Ever since I was eight," Leo said quietly. 

"Almost nine months now." Reyna put her fork into her mouth again. 

"Now I feel extremely inexperienced." Nico's shoulders slouched dramatically at hearing how long they had been there. 

"It's all right," Jason said, patting Nico on the back. "You're doing fine. When you start eating again, you'll probably be discharged. It'll be all good. I heard the doctors are making you a plus one after only two days. You're doing good." 

"That's good, I guess," Nico shrugged. 

"Yes, it is very good," Leo told him with a small smile. 

Nico smiled when he saw Jason stare across the table at Leo with that one look in his eyes until Leo looked up at him, and the blonde looked away. Nico rolled his eyes and continued to poke at his food. 

"Nico, this is heartbreaking," Percy said from behind Nico. "You have to eat something!" 

"No, I'm not hungry." Nico didn't look behind him as if it happened to him all the time, but he only had met the boy the day before. 

"Please?" 

"No, for the billionth time, no!" 

"Technically you've only said no to me ten times now," Percy said in-matter-of-factly. "I've counted." 

"Why did you count?" 

"So I could prove a point." 

"You're such a-" 

"Ah, ah, di Angelo, no swearing," Percy told him in a smug tone. "So, please eat." 

"For the eleventh time, no," Nico responded to him, annoyedly. 

"No means no, Percy," Reyna snapped. "Leave him alone. The doctors will handle it." 

"Can't you see, Reyna?" Percy asked. "They aren't helping any of us! Leo's been here for eight years, and he isn't any better. Jason still thinks he can fly, you still organize things to no extent, Rachel still doesn't talk, trust me, I've been yelling at her for about ten minutes now, Octavian still thinks teddy bears are demons, and Ethan still thinks that his mother told him to sacrifice his eye to her. No one is getting better, at all." 

"You think maybe you interfering has something to do with that?" Reyna asked. 

"No, I don't. It's this hospital!" 

"This hospital is fine, Silena just got out a month ago, Charles got out two weeks ago, and Clarisse was discharged a couple of days before Nico here was admitted," Reyna argued. "You're the problem, you just don't see it." 

"It's you that doesn't see it," Percy spat. "It's all of you that doesn't see it." He walked off somewhere out of the cafeteria. 

"Well, that was dramatic," Leo commented. They all laughed and he was actually happy for the first time in eight years, with Nico, Reyna, and Jason. The only thing that would make Leo happier was if Jason looked at him the way he did to Jason.


	5. Chapter 5

"So, Nico, what makes you the most happy?" Dr. Solace looked at him expectantly, as did the rest of the group. Nico had to ponder that question for a little while, until he answered, "Coffee."

"Coffee? That's all?" Dr. Solace asked. 

"Well, maybe reading and drawing," Nico answered. "Reyna, Leo, and Jason would work too, I guess. So would Bianca." 

"That's great, Nico," Will said. "Now bounce the ball at someone." Nico randomly bounced it toward someone until Piper, not caring, caught it. "All right, Piper," Will addressed. "What makes you the most happy?" 

"Stealing things," she answered quickly. 

"That's all?" he asked. 

"Sleeping." 

"Fine, Piper, now bounce the ball to someone." Will fiddled around with the pencil in his hand as he watched the ball bounce toward Jason. "What makes you the most happy, Jason?" he asked for the fifth time in a ten minute period. 

"Hanging out with Leo, Nico, and Reyna, and coloring," Jason replied. 

"Good, now bounce it at someone." Jason bounced the ball toward Leo, who shakily caught it. "What about you, Leo? What is your greatest joy?" He muttered an incoherent response. "What was that, Leo?" 

"I like spending time with Jason, Nico, and Reyna, and dragons," he repeated his answer quietly, but louder than last time, and loud enough for everyone to hear. 

A snicker from across the room caught everyone's attention. Everyone turned to look at Percy who had a hand over his mouth, hiding a grin plastered on his face. 

"Apparently, Percy thinks this is funny, you should bounce the ball at him." Dr. Solace frowned. Leo sheepishly nodded in response and bounced the ball at the dark-haired, snickering boy, who sat lazily in a folding chair across the room from him. "What is your greatest source of happiness?" 

"Flirting with Dr. Solace," he responded, giving the blonde a wink, as he threw the ball up in the air and effortlessly caught it in one hand. 

"Take this seriously, Percy," the doctor told him. "I'll ask you again, what's your greatest source of happiness?" 

"Fine, watching di Angelo undress," he said, sending a flirtatious look towards Nico, who looked away as quick as he could, his face heated with embarrassment. 

"Jackson, please take this seriously," Will repeated with an annoyed tone. 

"I meant what I said, watching di Angelo take his clothes off makes me undeniably happy," Percy smirked. 

"All right, get out, now!" Will stood up from his chair in annoyance and pointed to the door. "Your behavior is unacceptable." Percy glared at Dr. Solace and stormed out of the room, kicking an empty chair forcefully as he passed. 

\- - - - - 

"Wow, if Percy's somewhere, you sure can count on drama following," Jason commented. 

"Totally, that's him to a T," Reyna agreed. Nico and Leo nodded in agreement as well. "Percy always brings drama and trouble wherever he goes." 

"Why does he always have to follow me around?" Nico complained for what seemed like the fiftieth time since he had met the boy. 

"I think he likes you," Leo said, loud enough for him to hear. 

"You think so?" Nico asked in a tone that sounded a little too eager in his ears. He was grateful that his friends didn't notice. "How d'you figure?" 

"di Angelo, honestly!" Jason looked over at his pale, dark-haired friend. "If the world's fate was in your hands, we'd all be screwed, that's how oblivious you are!" 

"I am so not oblivious!" Nico objected. "Right?" Reyna, Jason, and Leo all looked in a different direction, away from Nico, not saying a word. "Right?" he repeated quieter. 

"That is the universal way of saying that you are without actually saying anything, but you are so oblivious, that I have to tell you, yes, you're very oblivious," Reyna told him. 

"Well, that stung, Rey-Rey," Nico grumbled. "Thanks a lot." 

"No problem," Jason replied. 

"Anytime," Leo muttered. 

Nico rolled his eyes and incoherently grumbled to himself as he picked at his food. "But, still, how do you think he likes me?" 

"I'll go first," Leo volunteered. "He just said in Group Therapy that he liked watching you undress." 

"I overheard him telling you that he wanted to see you naked," Jason said. 

"He constantly tries to talk to you, like bothering you at meals, trying to make you eat," Reyna told him. 

"At breakfast, he wrapped his arms around your waist and put his face in your hair," Leo added. "He never did that to any new kid." 

"He always stares at you," Jason replied. 

"He follows you around like a lovesick puppy dog," Reyna listed. 

"He puts up a fight when we tell him to leave you alone." Leo raised an eyebrow. "Need any more reasons?" 

"No, I'm good, thank you," Nico said. 

"Get the point?" Leo asked. 

"Yes, it's quite clear," Nico told his curly-haired, pointy-eared friend. 

"Good." Leo shoveled some food into his mouth. 

Nico was quiet for a little bit longer before Jason spoke up. "Oh, come on, Nico, please don't tell me you like him back," he said. 

"No, no, no," Nico replied. "He annoys the hell out of me, why would I like him back?" 

"Because stubborn and annoying is your type," a voice in his head said. "And look at his beautiful eyes, his incredible figure, his abs, his ass-" Nico relinquished his thoughts. No, he couldn't have feelings for Percy, could he? Of course not. 

"I don't know," Reyna answered. 

They were all silent until someone walked up behind Nico. "Hey, Nico," the person said behind him, but it wasn't Percy. 

Nico turned around on his seat to face Piper, holding a cup. "What?" 

"I heard you liked coffee, and you're not eating, so this might help." The kaleidoscope-eyed girl placed the cup of brown liquid on the table, next to Nico, which he picked up and held to his face. It smelled of coffee, so he guessed it was safe. 

"Thank you," Nico said. 

"No problem, it's just Canteen coffee, they have more," Piper told him. 

"It's good, thank you," Nico replied. 

"All right, take care." She departed for somewhere else, and Nico just turned around and sipped his coffee in contentment. 

"Not as good as my mother's, but it tastes good," he told his friends. 

"I don't really drink coffee, it gets me too nerve-wracked," Reyna told him. "Anyways, I'm not allowed to have it." 

"Me neither," Leo added. 

"I can, I just don't like it." Jason slid a forkful of food in his mouth, chewed it, then sipped from his paper cup. 

"Well, you would if you tried my mother's coffee," Nico returned. 

It was quiet for a little while until Jason broke it. "Five bucks she stole it," Jason whispered to Leo. 

"I wouldn't be surprised," Leo responded. 

Nico looked confused. "...What?" 

"Oh, Piper is always stealing things," Reyna told him, which made Nico set down his coffee on the table. "Hazel and Annabeth often keep her inside for Outside Time as punishment for constantly stealing things from the Canteen, and breaking into the nurse's office to take people's personal possessions." 

"Oh, I would love an excuse to stay inside for Outside Time," Nico said. "I just read and draw the whole time, and there's too much sunlight outside." 

"And you complain too much," Jason added. 

"I like it better when it rains," Nico continued, ignoring his blonde roommate. 

"Agreed," Reyna replied. "It's comforting." 

"It really is," Leo said. 

"So, Leo, where's Festus?" Jason asked. 

"Who?" Nico asked. 

"His stuffed dragon," Reyna whispered to him. 

"Oh," Nico said, subconsciously moving his food around on his plate. 

"I decided to leave it in my room," Leo told us. 

"Really?" Jason asked. "That was a very grown-up decision, Leo. Why did you decide that?" 

"Just thought it was about time I did," the short sixteen-year-old replied. 

"Well, that's great," Jason said to him, earning a blush from the shorter boy, and patting him awkwardly on the back. 

\- - - - - 

A couple of days passed, and either Percy was staying away from Nico more, or Nico just got used to it. Percy was still hounding Nico about eating, which he started a little after getting fed up with Percy's constant bugging. Percy's plan was gradually beginning to work. 

Leo began leaving Festus in his room, and began to engage more into conversations. Also, he didn't hesitate to sit with Nico, Jason, and Reyna at meals. He was leaving his past behind him. On another good note, Nico noticed that Leo began to blush whenever Jason directly addressed him, which made Nico faintly smile every time. 

Piper got caught stealing ice cream once again from the Canteen, and was forced to stay inside yet again for Outside Time, which was what she wanted, but on the bad side of it, she had to clean the bathroom during Socially Productive Time. 

Nico still loathed with all of his being the early hours the patients were woken up, and he wanted to hit Jason with his pillow when he woke the sleep-deprived boy from his uneasy slumber, but he knew it wasn't his roommate's fault. 

\- - - - - 

Percy woke up once again from one of his nightmares. With a slight whimper, the sea-green-eyed boy sat up in his bed, rubbing his eyes and tucking his knees as far as they were allowed into his chest. He felt sweat leak off of his skin and drip down his face, so he wiped the stray perspiration off of his forehead. Staring into the darkness, Percy recalled the events of his nightmare. He gave another whimper before trying to get back to sleep, however his thoughts and the memory of the gods-awful nightmare kept recurring to him, refusing to let him back into the land of unconsciousness. 

He emitted a quiet sob and slung his legs over the side of his bed, stepping silently over to his roommate, Luke Castellan, who was sleeping in his own bed, unbothered by a vision of fright, which was all Percy wanted right then. Like a child, he reached his arm toward his sleeping roommate and poked him insistently on his warm cheek, or at least what Percy thought was his cheek, since all Percy could see was black. It was a wonder he didn't stub his toe on anything, considering how good he was at that. 

Luke stirred, so Percy poked at him again. And again. And again. Finally, Luke had enough, and responded to Percy's persistence with a, "What, Percy?" Percy ignored the fact that Luke's voice, husky and deep from sleep, dripped with exasperation. 

"I had a nightmare," he whimpered. 

"Don't we all," Luke rolled his eyes in the darkness, not caring that Percy couldn't see it. "Tough it out, man up, and go back to sleep." 

"But I can't," Percy whined. 

"Then try." 

"I did," he responded. 

"Try again." 

"I just can't!" 

Luke closed his eyes again, rolling over under his blankets to face the wall, in attempt to ignore his annoying roommate. 

Percy caught the hint, and, instead, he grabbed his favorite blanket from his bed, which was soft and had a large picture of Nemo on it and tiptoed over to the door, opening it quietly. He then stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind him. He knew exactly where he was going, but he didn't acknowledge it until he stood outside of Nico's and Jason's room, knocking on the door. 

The light turned on; Percy knew because he saw an orange light stream into the hallway from under the generic white door, and he was met by a very groggy-looking Nico, but he was still as beautiful as Percy always thought he was. 

"What do you want, Percy?" Nico asked in a tone which greatly resembled his roommate's. A scowl was fixed upon his beautiful face, his chocolate eyes clouded with exhaustion. 

"I'm sorry I woke you, but I had a nightmare." Percy looked innocently at the shorter boy, who sighed in response, but his expression softened a little. 

"And what do you want me to do about it now?" 

"Usually, my mom held me while I told her about it, and she comforted me." 

"So, you want me to do that?" Nico gave a confused and unbelieving look. 

"Yes." 

The pale boy sighed once again before inviting Percy, who was draped in his Nemo blanket as if it was a cape, into his room and sat down on his bed, patting beside him, telling the taller boy to sit down next to him. Percy quickly got the message and sat beside him, curling into his childish blanket more and leaning into Nico's lean frame. 

Nico, despite his soporific state, was surprised to see the usually overconfident boy as broken down and vulnerable-looking as he was now, for he absolutely forgot that Percy had any negative feelings, other than anger and disrespect, in him. 

"So, what was your nightmare about?" Nico asked the sea-green-eyed boy, instinctively raveling a comforting arm around his body. 

Percy explained all the terrifying details of the nightmare that he could remember, trembling in his blanket when he got to the part where he was suffocating, when he couldn't see, which was one of his worst fears, but he knew it symbolized something else, as nightmares always did. 

By then, Nico was stroking his fellow patient's raven-colored hair, as a way to get him to relax. When Percy finished describing his horrible night terror, Nico gave him a sympathetic look. 

"It's all right, it was just a dream, Percy," Nico told him in a gentle, quiet tone. "Nothing is going to hurt you here." 

"I don't feel safe here, though." And it was the truth. Percy hated the place. He hated the doctors, the nurses, but he did have a soft spot for Hazel and Frank, and his fellow patients, excluding the very beautiful and comforting Nico, who was stroking his hair gently, which Percy had to control himself not to lean into his hand, for he didn't want Nico to be put off by him, to throw him out of his room and continue to be as cold to him as he always was. "I never have. I've spent over a year here already, and they just won't let me go home. I miss my mommy and Paul, and I miss my brother and his girlfriend." 

Nico felt even more sympathy for Percy. Although he was an annoying, rude, too-close-for-comfort boy, Nico recognized and was reminded that he had feelings, a life outside of the hospital, and it made him want to hold Percy close. And he did just that. He revoked his hand from Percy's head and wrapped his other arm around Percy's frame, leaning into his shoulder. Percy felt as comforted as when his mom held him close, but he also felt elated. And slightly turned on, but he would hide the last two feelings. 

Percy gave a smile, and wound his own arms around the smaller boy, closing his eyes before leaning his face into Nico's soft, great-smelling hair. Percy subconsciously lied down on Nico's bed, the two patients holding each other until they both fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning was pandemonium. Being a Saturday, it was a free day. However, many patients had to be woken early to be issued their medication, and a certain green-eyed mischievous boy was no where to be found.

They checked his room, the Day Room, the Canteen, the Supply Closet, everywhere. Some had even gone as far to propose to search in the basement, but that idea was abandoned quickly, since the basement was a place where some of the more-recently-hired nurses were afraid to tread. Even some of the older nurses were afraid to go down there, let alone a seventeen-year-old boy with schizophrenic paranoia; that was the place where the true psychopaths lived. 

The nurses and the doctors, having nowhere else to look, began to look in other patients' rooms, although the nurses on night watch had no sighting of him leaving his room, and they couldn't check the security footage; the security system was undergoing repairs, since a certain kaleidoscope-eyed girl had broken them a week prior. 

It took a few minutes until they sent Hazel to search for him in Nico di Angelo and Jason Grace's room. When she opened the door, Hazel immediately saw him, holding Nico to his chest, his chin resting upon Nico's inky, unruly mane, with a small, calm smile on his face. Nico's own face was buried in Percy's neck, his pale, scarred arms dangling lazily around the older boy's torso, which was wrapped in a blue Finding Nemo blanket. As she suspected, the two patients were deeply asleep, wrapped into each other's bodies like connected puzzle pieces, their breaths calm, slow, and even. 

"Uhm, Annabeth, Will, you might want to see this," she called for the two doctors, not taking her golden eyes off of the surprising scene. 

The two doctors piled in the doorway, shock-stricken as soon as they saw the two cuddling boys. 

\- - - - - 

After they were both awoken, they were given an in-depth lecture about how it was "forbidden to sleep in the same bed as another patient" and that it was "against the rules to leave your room at night". As rules stated, Percy was kept in for Outside Time, which disappointed him, since that was the only time he was somewhat free from the prison he was held in for over a year. 

However, since Nico didn't follow the rules either, they were given the bathroom duty during Socially Productive Time, which both of them groaned in response once being informed. 

\- - - - - 

Another week came and gone, and Percy was still as clingy as ever. However, Nico let him off easier, to his friends' surprise. They began getting the suspicion that Nico actually did like Percy back. They thought he was crazy, but weren't they all? At least Nico was getting better, since he started to eat a little more. 

Percy was really happy about Nico's improvement, but he was worried about what would happen once he got better. He would leave. He did not want Nico to leave. He knew he was being selfish, and he hated himself even more for that, but Nico seemed like he was the only person in the whole world who understood him, that cared about him, if only slightly, and actually was beginning to trust him. No one trusted him but Nico. 

\- - - - - 

"Is it just me, or is Percy suddenly being nicer to everyone?" Reyna asked. 

"I'm not sure..." Nico replied. 

"Well, he sure has been acting different," Jason said. "Especially since when I woke up to Dr. Chase and Dr. Solace yelling at you because Percy was sleeping in your bed." 

"What?" Reyna asked, shocked. 

"N-no, it's not like that..." Nico defended. "He woke me up in the middle of the night because he had a nightmare. He then explained it to me, and I felt kinda bad for him..." 

"Why?" Leo asked. 

"Well, he's been here for over a year, and he misses his family," Nico said. "I completely understand. I miss Bianca and my dad, even Persephone. I miss my dog, Cerberus, and everything. I miss wifi!" 

"I miss wifi, too," Reyna agreed. "But, he's still rude to everyone." 

"That doesn't mean he's not a person, Reyna," Nico replied. "He still has feelings." 

"I'm starting to think you like him," Jason accused. 

"I don't like him," Nico retorted. "There's a difference between having a crush on someone and just being nice to them. I have sympathy for him." 

"Yep, he likes him," Reyna confirmed. 

"No I don't." 

"Yes, you do." 

"I do not!" 

"Nico, remember the talk about you being oblivious to displays of affection?" Reyna reminded. 

"Yeah," Nico said. "But that doesn't mean I like him in that way." 

"Sure you don't." 

\- - - - - 

"He was so...comforting," Percy ranted to Annabeth during his therapy session. He was currently squeezing the life out of a fluffy blue pillow that was lying on the couch. "Luke wouldn't listen to my nightmare, but Nico let me in his room, and he held me while I told him. He then said that it was just a dream while he stroked my hair, and..." 

"And what Percy?" Annabeth asked, looking up from her clipboard. 

"I-I think..." Percy took a deep breath. "I think I'm falling in love." 

\- - - - - 

It was finally Visiting Day, and Nico was very excited to see his parents for the first time since he was admitted into the hospital. He wanted to tell them about his improvement, how much he missed them and Cerberus, and how much he missed their coffee and their food. 

Many happy faces were seen that Sunday. A cake was made, fruit punch was being issued in paper cups, and many emotions were contagious. Tears were shed. Even Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who hugged her parents tightly as happy tears streamed down her cheeks, came out of her shell. Nico smiled at the scene as she happily showed her parents a few drawings she drew, her parents praising her on how well she did. She signed a thank you at them with a broad smile on her face. 

"She doesn't talk," Reyna explained. 

"Why not?" Nico asked. "Is it medical?" 

"No," Reyna said. "It was more a mental thing. She apparently was bullied when she was younger, so she didn't want to talk to anyone anymore. She just stopped." 

"Oh," Nico said sadly. "That's too bad. I hope she gets the help she needs." 

"You and I both," Reyna agreed, smiling at her friend. 

He looked over and saw Percy hugging a woman a little shorter than him. They looked similar, so Nico assumed that she was his mother. He also hugged a man standing next to her. He looked like a scholar, with glasses perched upon the bridge of his nose. However, he looked really happy to see Percy. That must've been Paul. 

Percy's mom offered a paper plate to him. He looked at it with the biggest smile on his face Nico had ever seen. It made him feel happy that Percy finally got to see his family. The food on the plate looked really blue, like if it was colored blue with food coloring for some reason. They were a pile of blue chocolate chip cookies. 

Suddenly, he saw Percy look over at him, smiling even wider, if it was even possible. He turned to his family before rushing over to him. 

"Uh, hi, what are you doing?" Nico asked him. 

Percy answered by grabbing Nico's hand and pulling him over to his family. Once they got over there, Percy didn't let go of his hand. 

"Mom, Paul, this is the very beautiful Nico," Percy introduced. Nico could feel his cheeks heat up. "Nico, this is my mom and my step-dad, Paul." 

"Hi, it's very nice to meet you," Nico greeted, shaking both their hands with his free one, his other still being held by Percy's, although it was getting kind of gross because his hand was getting sweaty. "Percy talks a lot about you." 

"Hello, Nico," Percy's mom smiled at him. "My name is Sally. Are you Percy's boyfriend?" 

Nico's eyes widened, and his cheeks flared in embarrassment. 

"No, no, no, no," Nico said. "We're not dating." 

Paul's eyebrows raised as he looked at their connected hands. "Ah, I see." 

Percy let go of Nico's hand as they saw Hazel approach them. 

"Nico, your parents have come to see you," she told him. 

"I better go," Nico said. "It was nice meeting you." 

"It was nice meeting you too, Nico," Sally smiled sweetly at him as Paul waved at him. 

Nico then went over to hug his father and Persephone. 

\- - - - - 

"Honey, you aren't dating Nico?" Sally asked. "You were so excited for us to meet him. Is he just your friend?" 

"Not exactly, Mom," Percy sighed. "I like him a lot, and I want to hold his hand and cuddle with him and kiss him and tell him he looks pretty every day, but I don't think he likes me in the same way." 

"That's okay, Percy, there are plenty of fish in the sea," Paul clapped him on his back. 

"But I want him," Percy said, disappointed. 

"I know, but he's probably not interested," Sally tried to reason. "You can't just force him to like you, or to be in a relationship with you." 

"I'm not, I just..." Percy sighed again. "I really, really like him, and I just want him to be with me. No one else makes me feel the way he does, Mom. He trusts me, he comforts me when I have a nightmare, he understands me. No one else understands me the way he does." 

"Maybe he will love you in time," Sally suggested. "Only time can tell, Percy." 

"I hope so," Percy smiled hopefully. "Thanks for the cookies, Mom. I'm gonna share them with Nico. I love you. And I love you, Paul." 

"We love you too, Percy. Hope you can come home soon." 

"Me too." 

He hugged them one last time before Visiting Time was over.


	7. Chapter 7

"Mmm," Nico hummed, pleased by the taste of the blue chocolate cookies Percy gave him. "These are really good."

"My mom made them," Percy told Nico proudly. 

"Wow," Nico replied, his mouth full of the cookies. "These are amazing. They are the best cookies I've ever eaten." 

"I know, right?" Percy said. "My mom always makes the best desserts. She makes good food, too." 

"Why are they blue?" Nico asked. 

"Well..." Percy rubbed the back of his head. "I don't really wanna talk about it." 

"That's okay," Nico shrugged. "You don't have to tell me if it triggers you." 

"I do wanna tell you, but..." Percy sighed. "I don't want to remember." 

"That's fine, you don't have to tell me," Nico repeated. 

"Okay," Percy told him. "Was that your parents?" 

"Yeah," Nico said. "My dad and Persephone told me that they were going to visit me as soon as possible and check on my improvements." 

"And how are your improvements?" 

"They're fine," Nico replied. "I've been eating a lot more, and I have been sleeping better. I don't get all fidgety about Bianca, and I can actually mention her without crying, so I'm doing great. What about you?" 

"They wanna keep me here forever," Percy pouted. 

"I'm sure they don't, they just want you to improve," Nico said. 

"I'm not improving," Percy glared at the floor, avoiding Nico's eyes. "Can't you see? Schizophrenic paranoia doesn't exactly go away, you know. I will have it for the rest of my life, and they think that I'm still crazier than the Mad Hatter. They'll never let me leave." 

"So, what is your favorite movie?" Nico asked, trying to change the subject. 

"Nico, stop trying to change the subject," Percy growled. "It's probably because you know I'll be in here forever, and you just want me to stop thinking about it." 

"No, it's not that-" 

"I thought you were my friend!" Percy raised his voice. "I thought you trusted me!" 

"Percy, calm down-" 

"No!" he shouted. "I won't calm down! Do you think I'm a joke? Are you laughing at me behind my back? 'Look, I'm Percy, and I'm a complete wacko! I am an irredeemable nutcase!' Well, it's not working! I actually liked you. I really liked you, and then you try and brainwash me!" 

"Percy, you know that's not true," Nico said, attempting to calm him down. 

"The doctors sent you to try and pick through my mind, didn't they?" Percy yelled. "To try and be my friend and then get them to try and solve me like a puzzle? But they can't, and they never will. I'm unsolvable. I'll never get better. Why don't you tell them that, huh?" 

"Percy, stop." 

"No, I won't," Percy refused. "I won't tolerate this! First, they take me from my home, now they get me to trust someone, and they turn out to be an informant? Not today, not ever!" 

And, with that, Percy stormed down the hall, kicking chairs on the way to his room, leaving Nico alone in the hallway. 

\- - - - - 

"What's wrong, Nico?" Reyna asked. "Why aren't you eating?" 

"I ate a little while ago," Nico explained. "Percy gave me some of his blue cookies." 

"Blue cookies?" Jason queried, a confused look on his face. 

"He wouldn't explain to me," Nico answered. "Apparently, it had a key in his disorder, or something." 

"That's strange." Reyna raised her eyebrows. "But, I suppose love can bloom from hatred." 

"They're blue cookies, Reyna," Nico told her. "No need to get all poetic." 

"I'm not being poetic," Reyna objected. "I'm just giving a semi-logical explanation." 

"Whatever, Rey-Rey." Nico rolled his eyes. 

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Reyna asked. 

"Nothing," Nico told her. "I'm just tired." 

A crashing noise jolted Nico, Reyna, Jason, and Leo out of their semi-conversation, attracting their attention to the back of the cafeteria. Percy was standing there, no surprise, with Dr. Solace and a couple of nurses trying to calm him down. With a glare, Percy punched the doctor in the face, about to swing another blow at him. 

Before he knew it, Nico was standing up and running toward him, despite his friends yelling at him not to. 

He stood in between the doctor and Percy. "Percy, stop." 

"Why should I?" Percy sneered. "You're just a rat, anyway." 

"I'm not a rat, Percy," Nico grabbed his hand and squeezed it comfortingly. "Please stop, you don't know what you're doing." 

"Nico, they-" 

"No," Nico said sternly. "Stop." 

"But-" 

"Percy, please," Nico begged, staring imploringly into Percy's eyes. 

Nico reached his other hand up to Percy's face and stroked his cheek gently with his thumb. "It will be okay. Trust me, I'm not doing anything to harm you or keep you here. I want you to go home and see your mom. You'll be okay." 

"I won't, Nico," Percy choked out. "That's the way I am." 

"Please stop doing this," Nico told him. "You're better than this." 

"I'm not better," Percy argued. "I'm not ever going to be." 

"I'll help you, if you just listen to me, okay?" Nico replied. 

Percy leaned his face into Nico's soft hand that was cupping his face. 

"You'll help me?" 

"Yes, I'll help you. You've helped me." 

"I did?" A smile began to grow on Percy's face. 

Then, his face went expressionless and his body rigid. His sea-green irises floated up to meet his eyelids before he crumpled to the floor. Dr. Solace had sedated him. 

"What the hell?!" Nico shouted, outraged. "Why did you do that? I calmed him down." 

"He was destructive, Mr. di Angelo, you are not in the position to tell me not to," Dr. Solace replied. 

"You monster!" Nico charged at him, grabbing the collar of his shirt. "No wonder he isn't getting better, you guys never give him a chance to! You never help him! You just poke a needle in him and watch him fall to the floor. Can't you understand that he's a person, too? Why can't you understand the simplest things?" 

Nico felt a prick on his neck. He suddenly felt drowsy and nauseous. He then fell to the floor along with Percy, his friends shouting at him in worry. The two boys were out cold, dead to the world. 

\- - - - - 

Nico woke up in his bed, Jason, Reyna, and Leo towering over him. His head felt light as he sat up. 

"How long have I been out?" he asked, his voice heavy with sleep. 

"Two days," Jason told him. 

"Two days?" Nico asked, surprised. 

Yeah," Reyna said. "They must've used some strong drugs, or it just depends on your metabolism. I'd go with the latter." 

"How's Percy?" Nico concernedly queried. "Is he okay?" 

"Yes, he's fine," Leo answered. "He gets sedated all the time." 

"That doesn't mean he's okay," Nico argued. "Is he awake?" 

"Yeah," Jason said. "He has been for a while now. He asked us to tell him when you woke up, actually." 

"Where is he?" Nico queried, getting up from his bed. 

"You should stay in bed," Jason told him. 

"No," Nico growled. "Where is he?" 

"Nico, are you okay?" 

"No I am not," Nico replied. "Tell me where he is." 

"In the Day Room probably," Leo said. 

Nico nodded and walked out of the room, aiming for the Day Room. Once he got into the sunny room, he saw Percy sitting on the couch, trying to watch a cartoon on the television. Percy looked up from the tv, seeing Nico standing in the doorway. He stood up, as well, giving the boy a look of sincere concern. Nico immediately ran toward the other boy, enveloping him in his arms. 

"Are you okay?" Nico asked him. 

Percy was speechless with surprise. He wrapped his arms around the shorter boy with a small smile. No one hugged him except his mom and Paul, so he felt that Nico's gesture was one of trust, which he was questioning that he had from the skinny boy. 

"Yeah, I'm okay. What about you?" His hug grew more intense as Percy lowered his face into Nico's silky midnight hair. 

"I'm okay," Nico told him, gripping tightly onto the back of the older boy's shirt as he pressed his forehead against Percy's shoulder. 

"You were out for two days," Percy whispered. "I thought you died." 

"No, I'm here," Nico replied. "I'm not dead." 

Nico pulled away from the hug, although Percy's arms stayed around him, his face still buried in his hair. 

"Are you real?" Percy asked. "Please tell me you're real." 

"I am," Nico told him, slightly confused. "I'm real." 

Percy hummed into his hair. "Thank you." 

"For what?" 

"For existing," Percy responded. 

"Umm, you're welcome?" Nico replied, patting the small of Percy's back. 

\- - - - - 

Nico didn't feel tired. It wasn't that difficult to imagine; he had been nearly comatose for the past 43 hours. He simply wasn't exhausted by the time the nurses instructed everyone to go to bed. They were going to be woken early in the morning, anyway. 

However, Nico couldn't sleep. It wasn't even part of his insomnia, which was pretty bad, but he was taking medication for it. He just lied there on his bed, deep in his thoughts. He miserably tossed and turned, closing his eyes, trying to get some sleep after a while. Unfortunately, his attempts were unavailing. 

Jason was already fast asleep, making Nico frustrated about how easily his roommate could sleep. That, or he had lost track of the time and it actually was late. The beaming moonlight told him that could be true, by the way it was shining violently in his face through the gaps in the window. 

He turned on his side, away from the obnoxious moonlight, facing his snoring roommate's bed. The noises Jason was producing didn't help his restlessness, either. He tried closing his eyes again. 

Suddenly he heard a gentle, quiet knock on his door. Was it morning already, or did Percy have another nightmare? He didn't want to be punished again. Stepping softly toward the door, he opened it slightly. He was then grateful for the fact that his roommate was a heavy sleeper. 

"Percy?" Nico asked the boy standing in front of his door. Peculiarly, he was clothed only in his swim trunks and had a white towel draped over one of his arms. "Did you...have another nightmare?" 

"No," Percy told him, giving him an incredulous look, before reaching out his hand. "Come with me." 

"Where?" Nico inquired, albeit he took the taller boy's outstretched hand so that Percy would lead him to where they were going. 

"You'll see," Percy grinned, leading him off down the dark, quiet corridor. 

Nico gripped harder on Percy's hand, trying to speed up his walking to match Percy's. The difference in the length of their legs made sure that Nico walked slower than Percy did. 

"Seriously, where are we going?" Nico whispered. "And why are you wearing that?" 

"You'll see, Nico," Percy repeated. "So impatient." 

Percy looked around to see if any of the nurses on night watch had caught sight of the two boys walking hand-in-hand down the hallway. Eventually, he saw the door he was looking for, stopping in front of it. 

"Where are we?" Nico asked. "Isn't this just a supply closet?" 

"No," Percy scoffed, reaching into his pocket to grab a golden key. 

"Did you steal that?" 

"No, but Piper did." 

"Of course she did." 

Percy inserted the key into the lock, twisting it and pushing upon the wood of the door. The door swung open slowly, exposing to Nico an indoor pool. 

"What? There's a pool?" Nico asked in disbelief. "I thought they got rid of it!" 

"How would they get rid of a pool?" Percy asked, incredulity lining his tone. "They just hushed it up. They like to take a dip in it on our free days, in turns so the patients won't get suspicious." 

"Wow," Nico commented. "So, you're going to swim in it." 

"No." Percy shook his head. "We are going to swim in it." 

"Percy!" Nico whispered loudly. "We're going to get in trouble!" 

"Since when was I known for following the rules?" Percy smirked before leading Nico inside. He closed the door behind him and locked it from the inside before wrapping his key in his towel. 

"I didn't bring swim clothes." 

"I know," Percy nodded. "Wanna skinny dip?" 

Nico blushed. "Not really." 

"Aww, c'mon, Nico," Percy joked. "And here I was expecting to see you strip for me." 

Nico's blush intensified. "No." 

"Fine, fine," Percy laughed. "Then just wear your underwear. You're not a tightly-whitey or commando type of guy, are you?" 

"No," Nico told him. "Of course not." 

"Then you're good." 

Without warning, Percy ran toward the pool of water and jumped in it. Nico guarded himself the best he could from the stray water of the splash Percy had made with his hands. 

"Percy!" 

"Haha, c'mon in, Nico, the water's fine!" 

"I'm not so sure about this." 

"Pwetty pwease?" Percy pouted playfully. 

Nico sighed before shedding his shirt, then pulling his pajama pants down his legs. He looked up at Percy, who was watching him intently. Nico dipped his hand into the warm water of the pool and moved it toward Percy, covering the older boy in water that repelled from Nico's hand. 

"Perv," Nico joked. 

"Oh, really?" Percy grinned. "Says the one who stares at me during Shower Time." 

"I do not." 

"Do too, you like what you see?" 

Nico retorted by sticking his tongue out at the older boy. 

"Very mature, di Angelo," Percy commented. "Now, come in, the water doesn't bite. I don't either. Well, not very hard." He winked at the younger boy, whose face flushed red. 

"I'm not worried about that," Nico admitted. 

"Can't you swim?" Percy asked, 

"Yes, but not very well," Nico replied. "I can float and doggy paddle." 

"It's alright, I won't let you drown. Even in this hellhole, you can have a little fun, can't you?" 

"Okay," Nico finally agreed. 

He dipped his foot into the water before stepping down a little on the ladder that led into the pool, holding tightly to the bars on the side as he walked into the pool. Percy swam toward Nico so he could prevent him from hurting himself. Nico tried pushing off of the ladder and into the pool, but failed, and Percy was there to catch him. Percy rested his hands on Nico's waist as the younger boy recovered from the shock. 

"You okay there?" Percy asked, concern lacing his voice. 

"Yeah," Nico replied, looking into Percy's concerned eyes. They were deep and pretty; Nico wondered how they could contain so much emotion. 

"Nico," Percy whispered. 

"Hmm?" 

"Can I kiss you?" the sea-green eyed boy asked. 

Nico didn't recall nodding, nor did he remember how their faces became so close in that short period of time. He felt Percy's warm breath against his cheeks and lips. Nico traced his tongue around his lips and rubbed them together to moisten them. He then felt a sudden pressure on his lips, which made his eyes flutter shut. 

Percy moved his lips against Nico's slowly and gently, tilting his head to get a better angle. Nico moved his own against Percy's, who had pent up so much desire, it was practically flowing off of him. Nico raveled his hand into Percy's raven hair, tasting the saltiness of his lips. The kiss was as gentle as it could be; Nico hoped his inexperience didn't show. 

Percy pulled away, quietly panting and his heart racing, the taste of Nico's cherry lips lingering on his tongue. 

"Are you sure you're real?" Percy asked again, his voice no louder than a soft whisper. 

"Of course I am, Percy," Nico told him softly. 

Percy chuckled gratefully before connecting their lips once more. This kiss was a lot more passionate; it wasn't rough, but it wasn't as gentle as the last. He tilted his own head and placed a hand on Percy's warm cheek to deepen the kiss as Percy's arms tightened around Nico's waist, holding the skinny boy closer to Percy's bare chest. 

They disconnected their lips again, Nico's hand remaining on Percy's face, cupping his cheek, while the other one was buried in Percy's wet hair. 

"Nico? Do you like me?" 

"Yeah," Nico confirmed. "I do. Please don't tell yourself I don't, because I do, and I trust you." 

"Okay," Percy smiled warmly at the younger boy. 

They hung out in the water for about a few minutes more before drying off with the towel Percy brought, then snuck back to Nico's room. As they stood outside of his door, Nico stood on his tiptoes and kissed Percy sweetly good-night, then went back inside his room. Percy walked back to his room, grinning from ear to ear. Neither of them got much sleep that night.


	8. Chapter 8

"What is the deal with you, Nico?" Reyna nudged his arm with her elbow for what seemed like the hundredth time in five minutes.

"Nothing," Nico responded, moving his hands off of the table and onto his lap. "It's just that I hardly got any sleep last night. I was out for two days, after all." 

"Well, you're being really spacey," Jason said. "Are you sure? We can tell Dr. Chase or some-" 

"No, absolutely not," Nico blurted, not hesitantly at all. He didn't want to deal with the people who didn't put an effort in putting themselves in their patients' situations. "I'm fine, really." 

"If you say so," Leo replied, reluctance lining his tone. "Does Percy have anything to do with it?" 

At the split moment those words were spoken, Nico's cheeks flushed bright red. "No! No, no, no, of course not! Why would you think that?" 

The three friends shared a knowing look before Nico buried his face in his hands. 

"Yep, he sure likes him alright," Reyna concluded as she looked back down at her food. 

Nico didn't even try to deny it. His friends knew too much. How they did, he had no idea. Was he as oblivious as his friends proposed him to be? Probably. Did he like how they knew things about him before he knew them himself? Absolutely not. 

He felt arms snake around his waist once again, and a hard object resting on the top of his head, followed by a, "Good morning, sweetheart." Nico felt even more heat rush into his face. 

"Don't call me that," he said. 

"Aww, why not?" Percy asked, hugging Nico closer to him. 

"Because," Nico replied. 

"C'mon, di Angelo, you know you like it." Nico could hear the smirk in his voice. 

"What gave you that notion?" Nico scoffed. "I hate pet names." 

"Well, then that sucks for you, because I have a lot of them," Percy responded, nuzzling his nose into Nico's midnight mane. 

"Ey, Jackson, can you not grind up on our friend?" Reyna asked. "He looks like he's about to spontaneously combust." 

"I am not!" Nico shouted. 

Percy chuckled and pressed a kiss on the top of Nico's head before walking away to get breakfast. Nico embarrassedly covered his flushed face with his hands, the warmth in his cheeks feeling like his face was on fire. 

"So, 'sweetheart', huh?" asked Piper, who placed her tray next to Jason, who looked shocked and uncomfortable, and sat down at the table. "Since when did Jackson use pet names?" 

"I-I don't know," Nico stuttered. 

"Jeez, Neeks, you look like you have a sunburn all over your face," Piper laughed. "Are you okay?" 

"He's fine," Reyna told her. "He just has the L-word." 

"Oh, does he now?" Piper grinned cheekily. 

"What L-word?" Jason asked. 

"You know, four letters," Piper hinted. "Starts with L, ends with E." 

"Lice?" 

"No!" Reyna swatted him from across the table, which made Leo snicker. "Love." 

"He has love?" 

"No, Jason, he's in love." 

"Who's in love?" Percy asked, setting his tray next to Nico's and sitting with them. 

"No one," Piper grinned. 

"C'mon, you can tell me," Percy whined. 

"It's not important," Nico told him. 

"You too?" Percy pouted. "I thought you liked me." 

"I do," said Nico, which caused everyone at the table, excluding himself and Percy, to snicker knowingly. "Oh, shut up." 

"You walked into that one, di Angelo," Piper smirked. 

"I'm sorry that I like people, then?" 

"No, it's not that, Nico," Reyna laughed. "You two love each other, and it's so obvious." 

"Well..." Percy pretended to stretch and swung his arm around Nico. "No arguments there. How about you di Angelo? Do you love me? I have no complaints if you do, you know." 

Nico swatted his arm away. "Shut up, Percy." 

"Love you too." 

Nico froze, feeling heat flowing in his face once more. 

"Damn it, Percy!" Nico folded his arms on the table and put his head into the gap in attempt to hide his blush, his forehead resting on the cold material of the table. "You can't just stay stuff like that!" 

"I just said that I love you," Percy grinned, pleased with Nico's reaction. 

All of Nico's friends watched him amusedly. He currently looked like a clump of midnight hair, splayed across the table and his folded arms. 

"What?" Percy asked, completely acknowledging that he was the reason Nico was so flustered. "I can't say that I love you?" 

Nico hummed in embarrassment, burrowing his head deeper into the safe haven that was his arms. 

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you-" 

"Stop!" Nico whined, moving one of his arms and playfully pushing Percy away from him. 

Percy, in response, took Nico's hand and placed a kiss on each one of his fingers, which earned catcalls from everyone at the table. 

"Well, I knew that he liked him," Piper commented. "But I didn't know that he liked him that much." 

"Well, I kissed him already," Percy bragged. "Three times." 

Nico's head shot up from the table. "That was supposed to be a secret!" 

"Oh, sorry, was it?" Percy asked. "'M sorry, Neeks." 

"It's okay," Nico sighed. 

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, hold on for a sec," Jason interrupted. "You kissed? Like, on the lips?" 

"Yep," Percy grinned triumphantly. 

"When?!" 

"Last night," said Nico, in a defeated tone. "If you don't wanna hang out with me anymore, that's okay, I understand." 

"No, I'm not saying that," Jason objected. "It's only... Why?" 

"Well..." Nico scratched the back of his head. "I..." 

This was the moment Reyna had been waiting for. The moment where Nico admitted that she was right. 

"You guys were right, I like him." 

"I freaking knew it, you little shit!" Reyna cheered. 

"Yeah, yeah, Reyna," Nico said. "I was wrong, you were right. Get over yourself. Jesus Christ." 

Percy raveled his arm around Nico's waist. Nico leaned his head on Percy's shoulder. 

"Guys, Dr. Chiron is coming," Piper warned. 

Percy revoked his arm from around Nico quickly and Nico lifted his head from Percy's shoulder, beginning to eat some of his now-lukewarm breakfast. Their anxieties had escalated in a matter of moments. They were certain that a nurse saw them or something and reported it to Dr. Chiron. Now they were in for it. 

"Mr. di Angelo," said Dr. Chiron, placing a hand on his shoulder. 

Nico turned around, slightly startled, to face the bespectacled man, whom was seated in his wheelchair. 

"Yes, Dr. Chiron?" Nico hoped his voice didn't sound anxious or shaky. 

"Good news, Nico," Dr. Chiron grinned. "Your state has improved impeccably in the matter of weeks since you arrived. We see your condition has improved, as you are eating and your suicidal tendencies have decreased remarkably." 

"So you're saying...?" 

"You will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow afternoon. You are free to spend the rest of the day packing your belongings."


	9. Chapter 9

Percy had never felt more betrayed in his life. Not when he was placed in that blasted mental hospital, not when he wasn't allowed soda, and not when the sheep in Zootopia was the actual villain (he had formed a bond with her, but he supposed times were tough). Now, his boyfriend, he hoped he could call Nico that, was going to be released, and he was going to be all alone again. He was currently packing his things in his and Jason's room, soon to be only Jason's room.

"That's the last of it," Nico said to him. 

Percy took this time to admire him. His body had filled out more throughout the weeks, his face wasn't hollow, and the dark shadows beneath his eyes had dissipated remarkably. A trace of a smile was hidden on his cherry-tasting lips, and his silky, midnight mane was pulled into back a small ponytail, keeping his long hair out of his mystifying, cocoa-colored eyes. 

"I'm going to miss you, Nico," said Percy, distantly. 

"I'm going to miss you too, Percy," Nico responded, pulling the taller boy in for a hug. 

Percy never wanted to let go. He wanted to hold Nico's slim frame in his arms forever. He wanted to inhale the scent of him as he kissed his skin, muttering I love you’s until the world ended. Even then, he wouldn't have noticed, since when he was with Nico, time seemingly stopped. But things weren't always what they seemed. 

"When do you have to leave?" Percy whined. 

"About an hour," Nico replied sadly. 

Percy felt like crying. The only person he trusted, the only person who kept him afloat and stable was leaving. He wouldn't get to kiss him or hug him or hold his hands or tell him how pretty he is. He would just be an empty shell, all alone at Serenity Falls Psychiatric Hospital. All alone in general. The only people who were willing to talk to him without griping at him or yelling at him were Hazel and Frank, but even then, they were no Nico. 

"I don't want you to go," Percy sobbed into Nico's shoulder, holding him around his back. 

"I know, but I have to," Nico told him, standing on his tiptoes to plant a kiss on Percy's cheek. "It was going to happen eventually, y'know." 

Percy's grip tightened on the younger boy, tears threatening to spill down his cheeks. 

"But you're all that I have to hold onto," he whispered. 

"I'm sorry," Nico whispered back, leaning his forehead against Percy's collarbone. 

\- - - - - 

An hour had never gone so quickly in Percy's life. He sat with Nico at the front desk as he waited for his parents to arrive to pick him up, holding onto his hand as Nico leaned his head against his shoulder. Percy turned his head and kissed Nico's hair, not caring that Hazel, Dr. Chiron, or Katie was watching them. 

"How much longer?" Nico asked, sitting up slightly. 

"Not long at all. Mr. di Angelo called and said he was on his way," Hazel responded. "Mr. Jackson, would you mind-" 

"I'm sorry, Hazel, but no, I want to stay here with Nico until he leaves," Percy told her. 

"Alright, sweetie," Hazel returned. 

"And here he is, he just pulled up in the driveway," Katie said cheerily. 

Percy stood up, albeit reluctantly, from the bench, offering Nico his hand. Nico took it in his and stood up. 

"So, I'll take Mr. di Angelo's bags and-" 

"That's not necessary, Katie," Percy told her, picking Nico's bag off of the floor. "I'll take it." 

"Is that alright, Dr. Chiron?" asked Katie. 

"Yes, as long as he only takes the bags out," Dr. Chiron confirmed. 

Reyna, Piper, Leo, and Jason suddenly came from around the corner. Reyna quickly tackled Nico in a hug. 

"Reyna?" Nico asked, hugging back. "I thought you didn't like touching people at all." 

"As long as it's either you or hitting Jason, I'm fine," Reyna said. 

Nico rolled his eyes. "Of course you would say that." 

Reyna smiled as she pulled away from the hug. Her obsidian eyes glistened with happiness, but sadness at the same time. Her cocoa hair was in a braid again, as it was the first time Nico had met her. 

"Come back and visit me, okay?" Reyna asked. 

"Of course," Nico smiled. "I will come back and visit all of you. I promise." 

Piper punched him playfully in the shoulder. "You better." 

"Bye, Nico," Jason told him. 

"Goodbye, Superman," Nico joked. 

They all started laughing, excluding Jason, who rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, shut up, that wasn't funny," the blonde scolded. 

"I'll miss you, Nico," Leo said. 

"I'll miss you too, Hot Stuff," Nico replied, ruffling his hair. 

To his surprise, Leo chuckled. "Still, I'll hold you to your promise. If you don't come and visit us, I'll hunt you down, you Dark Fart." 

Everyone started laughing at that one. 

A honk of a black Mercedes's horn brought them all back to reality. 

"I have to go now," Nico said sadly. "I'll miss you all." 

"We'll miss you too, Nico," Reyna replied. 

"Bye, Neeks!" Piper farewelled. 

Echoes of Piper's good-bye came from everyone else in the room. 

"Let's go, boys," Katie told them, beckoning them both outside. 

Hades di Angelo stood outside of his car, waiting for Nico. Nico walked to him and hugged him before he told him that Percy was going to put his bag into the trunk. Hades nodded, opened the driver's door, and reached in to pop the trunk open. 

Percy and Nico walked around the back. Percy opened the trunk and placed Nico's bag inside before closing it softly. 

"You never told me you had a Mercedes, di Angelo," Percy said. 

"It never came up," Nico chuckled before wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's neck. "I'll miss you so much. Thanks for everything." 

Percy immediately hugged him back. "I'll miss you too, Nico." 

To his surprise, Nico leaned up and pressed his lips to Percy's. Percy's eyes fluttered shut as he moved his lips against Nico's, his hands drifting down to Nico's hips. Another honk of the car horn jolted them back into reality. 

"Alright, alright, Dad, I'm coming," Nico shouted. "Bye, Percy. I love you." 

Percy was dumbstruck from the kiss, and it wasn't until Nico got into the backseat Percy had comprehended what Nico said to him. 

"W-wait, I love you too! Goodbye, sweetheart." 

Nico rolled down the window and smiled back at him. A smile which made Percy's heart stutter. 

"Shut up, Percy," Nico joked. 

The di Angelos' car hummed to life and soon sped away down the gravel path, leaving a dust trail and a empty feeling in Percy's chest behind them. 

"See you around, Neeks," Percy said absently before the black Mercedes disappeared over the hill. 

\- - - - - 

"So, Nico, was that your boyfriend?" Hades asked, looking at his son through the rear view mirror. 

Nico's cheeks flushed. "Uh, yeah, he is." 

"You'll find someone else, soon enough," Hades assured. 

"I'm fine," Nico told him. "He's good enough for me." 

"Is he now?" Hades smiled to himself. 

"Yes," Nico replied. "Oh, by the way, Dad, can I come back to visit on Sunday?" 

"Why?" Hades asked, amusedly. "You seemed eager to get out of there, and now you wanna go back?" 

"Well, I met a few friends, and there is Percy, too," Nico said. 

"Oh really?" Hades queried. "You met some friends?" 

"Yeah," Nico confirmed. "There's Reyna, Jason, Leo, and Piper." 

"Well, that's good, Nico," Hades smiled. "You will have to talk to Persephone about Sunday, though. You never know what's going on with her." 

"I know, I know." Nico rolled his eyes. "Book Club, what is the deal with that? Who even has Book Club anymore?" 

Hades chuckled. "I have no idea."


	10. Chapter 10

Nico could describe his house in many ways: big, beautiful, well-decorated, but most of all, empty. The house didn't seem lived-in at all, despite the fact Persephone was almost always at home, except when Nico's father took her out to dinner or when she was at one of her "clubs".

Nico was well accustomed to the empty house before, but that was because he didn't know anything else. He didn't know what it was like to live with other people before, who actually liked to spend time with him. 

Nico did miss the wifi, though. 

It was too quiet as well. He missed his friends and Percy already. He missed how it was almost never quiet and how the television always blasted children's cartoons in the mornings and afternoons and Wheel of Fortune in the evenings. He and Reyna always got in competitions to see who could get more puzzles right. They were always neck-in-neck. 

He decided to hop in the shower; he hadn't shaved in a while now, and he didn't like the feeling of his hairy legs. As he turned on the knob, he realized he had put on his flip-flops. It was a habit, he guessed. He took them off and placed them on the floor, outside of the shower. 

Showering barefoot felt strange now that he had gotten used to showering with his flip-flops. He tried to ignore it and began to wash his hair and shave, trying not to cut himself with the blade. Using three different bottles to wash himself felt weird, too. 

Once he finished, he turned off the knob and grabbed a towel from the towel rack on the back of the door, wrapping it around his waist and stepping out of the warmth of the shower. 

The cool air unpleasantly bit his skin, and he shuddered once his bare feet came in contact with the cold tile floor. He expected Percy to come out of a separate stall and wink at him, like he usually did, but Nico was all alone in his bathroom. 

\- - - - - 

For Percy, life had gone from colorful and bright to white and monotonous in a matter of a few hours. He sat in his room on his bed, his knees tucked as far as they could go to his chest. 

"Percy?" Hazel asked, gently knocking on his somewhat ajar door and pushing it open further. "It's time for your therapy session." 

Percy hummed sadly in response, standing up from his bed and following Hazel down the hall to Dr. Chase's room. 

"Hello, Perseus," Annabeth greeted. 

"It's just Percy," Percy grumbled. 

"Are you okay?" the doctor asked. 

"No," Percy muttered. 

"Well, then let's talk about what's bothering you." 

"It's this fucking hospital," Percy thought, but he didn't want to get sedated again. It was scary how easily these doctors were provoked nowadays. 

"I'm tired," Percy lied. 

"Percy, we've discussed not lying in therapy," Annabeth scolded. "Does it have anything to do with Nico being discharged?" 

"How would you know?" Percy growled. "You don't understand how I feel." 

"Of course we do, Percy," Annabeth assured. "However, to do that, you need to let us in and help us understand what you are feeling." 

"If you know what I'm feeling, you need to let me out of here!" Red burned behind Percy's eyelids. "I've been here for well over a year and you're throwing my life away!" 

"Percy, you are not fit to-" 

"You're not fit to be my doctor!" Percy interjected. "Name one way you have helped me in any way, and sedating doesn't count, because that didn't help me at all!" 

"Percy, calm down," Annabeth said to him. 

"No!" Percy shouted, on the verge of tears. "You took my Nico away from me!" 

Dr. Solace burst into the room. "Is everything okay in here? I heard- oh." 

"Dr. Solace could you escort Mr. Jackson back to his room?" Dr. Chase asked. 

Will placed his hand on Percy's shoulder and began to walk him out of the room before Percy smacked his hand away. 

"I can escort myself to my own damn room," he growled, kicking a chair angrily before storming out of the office. 

\- - - - - 

"So, dear, it's your first day back." Persephone smiled as she placed a plate of good-smelling food in front of the dark-haired boy. "How do you feel?" 

"Well, kind of lonely, actually," Nico answered. "It's quieter here than I'm accustomed to." 

"It's alright, sweetie; you'll get used to it after a while," Persephone assured, patting Nico's cheek. 

"I suppose so," Nico said absently. 

"Persephone, Nico said he made friends," Hades told her, picking up his silverware. 

"That's great, Nico!" Persephone smiled. "That's a good start." 

"I have a boyfriend, too," Nico added. 

"Oh," Persephone said. "That's alright, you'll find someone new." 

"But Dad said that I can come back and visit them," Nico told her. "I promised them I would." 

"Honey, I don't think going back there would be a good idea," Persephone told him warily. 

"I'm fine!" Nico returned, beginning to get annoyed. "It's not like I'm going back there to stay, only to visit." 

"Ask your father," Persephone remarked. 

"Dad, so can I?" Nico asked. "On Sunday?" 

"I'll think about it," Hades said in a way which Nico thought he wasn't going to think about it at all. 

Nico finished his dinner in silence before putting his plate in the sink and walking upstairs to his room and lying on his bed. His bed was more comfortable than the hospital's, so he fell asleep in a matter of minutes. 

The next day, a Friday, while Persephone was out and Hades was at work, Nico found Sally and Paul Blofis's residence and went to their apartment. Sally was thrilled to see him there, and he told her and Paul that he and Percy were currently in a relationship, which made Sally more bubbly then she already was. 

"My parents are busy this Sunday, and Percy really wanted me to visit him, so I was wondering if you could take me with you to see him?" Nico asked. 

"As long as it is alright with your parents, Nico," Sally told him. 

"They told me that it was okay to go with his parents," Nico lied. "I'm sorry for asking them in advance." 

"It's alright dear, you can come with us anytime you'd like," Sally told him. 

"I'm glad you and Percy have sorted through your situations," Paul told him. 

"Me too," Nico said. "Thank you." 

"No problem, Nico." Sally smiled. "We will be leaving at noon, so make sure to be here, okay, sweetie?" 

"Okay," Nico replied. "I gotta go. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Blofis." 

"It's alright," Paul told him. "Just call me Paul." 

"And just Sally is fine," Sally added. 

"Thanks again," Nico said, making his way to the door. "Goodbye." 

"Goodbye, Nico dear," Sally farewelled. 

Nico walked home, not saying anything to Persephone and his father about his plans for Sunday. 

"Sweetie," Persephone confronted him on Saturday. "Your father and I agreed that it wouldn't be best for you to go back to visit your boyfriend." 

"But I have friends there too, and I promised-" 

"I'm sure they'll understand, Nico," Persephone interrupted. "It wouldn't be good for your condition." 

"What do you know about my condition?" Nico spat. "What do you know about me? You've been married to my father for a year, and in all that time, you've given no effort to know me. Don't even say that to me. You think of me as another thing you can control. I'm not your son; just something else you can boss around and have authority over. You may be a replacement for my father's wife, but you will never be a replacement for my mother!" 

"Go to your room!" 

"I don't have to be told!" Nico snapped, running up the stairs. "I don't want to look at you anyway!" 

He slammed the door loudly behind him and practically jumped onto his bed, screaming into his pillow. 

He took some time to calm down, reminding himself that he was going to go anyway, no matter what that witch told him. He fell asleep soon after he had settled down. 

\- - - - - 

"It's Visiting Day!" Piper shouted excitedly like a kid on Christmas morning, jumping onto Jason's bed and hitting him with the flat pillow from what used to be Nico's bed. 

"Piper, stop it," Jason groaned, putting his arm up to act as a shield from Piper's blows. 

"Don't you know what that means?" Piper continued. 

"No, now go away." Jason shoved her away from him. 

"Nico's coming back to visit us!" 

"He said he would, he never said when, Piper," Jason corrected groggily. 

"I should have done this to Percy, then, huh?" 

"No, don't get his hopes up," Jason commanded. "He has been in a terrible mood lately ever since Nico left." 

"I know, I know, he just needs to-" 

"Piper, have you ever been in love with someone?" 

"No, why?" 

"Well, when the person you love leaves, I'm sure it feels like nothing," Jason told her. "It would feel like a void of emptiness and sadness. Your life isn't complete without them, and your heart aches whenever you're away from them." 

"Wow, Jason," Piper smirked. "You seem to speak from experience." 

"No, it's just what I think," Jason told her. "I've never been in love." 

"Mmhmm," Piper hummed in disbelief. "Now, get dressed! We're going to get Percy!" 

"Wh-what?!" Jason asked. "Didn't you hear any of what I just said?" 

"Yes, but I want him to see Nico again," Piper spoke. 

"Don't we all," Jason said. "I don't like Percy, but I feel bad for him. Nico really seemed to light up his life from the very beginning." 

"Shut up Jason! Just get dressed!" 

"Alright, alright, geesh," Jason grumbled. 

He pulled on his scrubs while Piper averted her eyes. 

"Alright, let's go." 

Piper grabbed onto Jason's arm and tore through the hallway, Jason cursing as Piper gripped tighter on his forearm before they stopped in front of Percy's door. Piper knocked chirpily in a familiar rhythm Jason had heard throughout his life. 

"What?" they heard Percy groan from the other side of the plain, white door. 

"It's Visiting Day," Piper said. 

"It's Sunday?" his tone changed to one of eagerness. "One sec, I'll be right out." 

After a solid minute, Percy appeared, his hair disheveled and unruly as ever. 

"Is Nico here?" Percy asked eagerly. "I want to see him so bad." 

"Me too," Piper agreed. "I haven't seen him yet, but I'm sure he'll show up eventually." 

Percy's face fell slightly. "Yeah, I hope so too." 

\- - - - - 

Percy sat on the couch in the Day Room, bouncing his knee and impatiently tapping his fingers on the arm of the couch, waiting for Nico or his parents to show up. SpongeBob SquarePants blared on the tv, but it was just background noise to all of the people already seeing their families. Even Octavian's parents showed up, which surprised Percy, because there were people out there that actually liked, let alone loved, Octavian. 

Percy sighed, ceased his tapping which was beginning to nerve Jason, and leaned his cheek in his palm, his elbow buried in the plushy fabric of the arm of the Day Room couch. 

"He's not coming," Percy thought disappointedly. "Mom and Paul didn't even come to visit me." 

Piper placed a reassuring hand on Percy's shoulder. Percy looked away from her. She surely didn't understand the pain he felt. After all, her family came and visited her, as did Jason's and Reyna's. 

The only person he sought comfort with was Leo; Percy knew he had no one, and Nico had made him so much stronger than he used to be, so Percy was more friendly with him now. 

"It's alright, Percy," Leo comforted. "Maybe he will come next Visiting Day." 

"But what if he has a boyfriend back home, and I was just something to play with until he got back?" Percy fretted. "I don't think that I could deal with that, Nico being with another man. I love him too much. It would be too painful." 

"Percy, you were not something to play with until he got back home," Reyna dismissed. "He was genuine about you. Remember how he just couldn't stand you when he first arrived?" 

Percy smiled a bit. "Yeah, I guess you're right." 

Hazel approached the five of them. "Percy, some special people have come to visit you." 

"Mom and Paul?" Percy asked, his smile widening remarkably. 

Suddenly, Percy saw a mop of midnight hair in the sea of families seeing their loved ones. Beautiful cocoa eyes met his, and immediately sparkled with happiness once he saw his boyfriend. 

"Nico?" Percy asked excitedly. 

"Hey, Percy," Nico greeted. 

Percy immediately ran to him and held him in his arms, kissing all over his face and leaning his face in his soft hair, smelling the new scent of lilac and lavender, which he was fond of immediately. He just smelled like Nico, and, to Percy, that was the best smell in the world. 

"Good to see you too," Nico said, blushing from all the kisses Percy gave him. "Wow. Did you miss me that much?" 

"My life here isn't tolerable without you, you know," Percy spoke, his words slightly muffled by Nico's hair. 

"I assumed," Nico laughed, hugging his boyfriend tighter. 

Percy then leaned back and pressed his lips to Nico's, not caring if he got yelled at by the nurses. Nico wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's neck as he kissed back. 

Catcalls were given by three of their four friends, since Jason was trying to look away to give the two of them privacy. 

Percy and Nico immediately disconnected their kiss and looked back at Piper, Leo, Reyna, and Jason. 

"Did you come to visit us, too, or just to snog Percy?" Reyna joked. 

"Good to see you, too, Reyna," Nico grinned, hugging her, then Leo and Jason. 

Piper slugged him on his arm, causing him to try to rub the pain away. 

"Ow," Nico said. "What was that for?" 

"That's for worrying us," Piper told him. "Do you have any idea how much pain you caused Percy?" 

"Percy?" Nico asked. "I caused you pain?" 

"A little," Percy lied. 

"Nonstop crying and yelling for the first two days," Piper answered honestly. 

"Percy, I'm so sorry." Nico hugged him again. 

"It's alright, you couldn't help it." Percy stroked his hair as he hugged back. 

"No, I could've tried to sneak out at night and get caught, so I'd have to stay for a little longer," Nico spoke into Percy's shirt. 

"No," said Percy. "You are finally out of this hellhole and I don't want you getting admitted into it again." 

"But I'm so lonely," said Nico. 

"Maybe we can talk more if you give us your phone number," Piper said. 

"That's actually a pretty good idea," Reyna agreed. 

So Nico did. He jotted his number down on a piece of paper with a red crayon and gave it to Reyna. Percy saw his mother and Paul, then it was time to leave. Nico said goodbye to all his friends and kissed Percy goodbye once more. Neither of them wanted it to end, but they were scolded by the nurses and were forced to pull away. 

"Bye, Percy," Nico farewelled. 

"Goodbye, Nico-bear." 

Nico scowled jokingly at the nickname Percy had given him. 

"I love you." 

"I love you too, Nico." 

Then they left, and Percy felt even more upset. He missed Nico already. He felt tears come into his eyes once more, but he wiped them away. 

That night, Piper gathered Jason, Leo, Reyna, and Percy in Jason's room. She had stolen the extra pillows from the supply closet, as well as a few people's blankets, along with the cushions and quilts off of the couch in the day room and the lobby, and made a large pillow fort in a grand attempt to cheer Percy up. It did for the time being, until the next morning, where they were all punished accordingly.


	11. Chapter 11

Nico did not get in trouble for going back to visit. In fact, Hades and Persephone thought he was at the library all afternoon. They got him back into school, where he had no friends, but at least there were people there.

On a Thursday evening, Reyna had called Nico and they had a lengthy conversation about how life was going and Leo and him got into a playful argument over who would win a fight, Sherlock or the Tenth Doctor. Jason and him also talked a little, then Piper cut in and told him all about how Jason tried to jump off the roof that day, telling everyone that he was going to prove that he could fly. They got him down from the roof eventually. 

"So, how is Percy doing?" Nico asked, not really sure if he actually wanted the answer to the question. 

"He's not doing so well," Reyna told him honestly. "He's not allowed to talk on the phone, but I could probably get him on if I ask Hazel really nicely." 

"Please," Nico replied, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. 

"Okay, I'll be right back." 

The line was silent for a while. 

"Hazel, Nico really wants to talk to Percy," he could hear his friend in the background. "Can you please let him talk? Just this once." 

Hazel huffed in exasperation. "Fine. Just this once. Let me go tell him." 

"He can talk," Reyna told Nico through the phone. "He'll be on in a moment." 

"Thanks, Reyna," he said. 

"No problem." 

The line was silent for a few seconds more as he heard Reyna hand the phone over. 

"Hey, it's Percy," he said into the phone. 

"Hey, Perce," Nico smiled, grateful to hear his voice. 

"Nico?" he asked, in shock. "Is that you?" 

"Yeah, hello," said Nico. 

"Nico, I miss you so much." 

"I miss you too." 

"I know it's only been a few days since we've seen each other, but it feels like a million." 

"I feel the same, Perce. I love you." 

He could hear his friends cooing in the background. 

"Go away, you guys," Percy told them. "Can't we have a little privacy?" 

"Yeah, I agree," Jason said quickly. "Let's go, guys." 

"No, I wanna hear," Piper whined, making Nico laugh. 

"I love you too," Percy spoke into the phone. 

Nico smiled. "I really want to be with you guys right now." 

"I want to be with you too," Percy said. "How is your family treating you?" 

"Well, Persephone's being a bitch, and Dad is just going along with it. You know, the usual." 

"I'm sorry," Percy told him. "Y'know, if you ever get tired of them, you can always go and see Mom and Paul." 

"I just might," Nico told him with a smile. 

\- - - - - 

Nico made a habit of going to the library the Sundays he was not visiting Percy and his friends so that his parents would not get suspicious about him leaving every visiting day, and on each visiting day, Percy looked more and more excited to see him. 

"How are things holding up?" Nico asked while hugging him. 

"Awful, as usual," Percy told him, at ease from holding his boyfriend in his arms. 

Nico then pulled away from Percy and went to talk to Jason, Reyna, Leo, and Piper. 

Percy hugged his mother and Paul. 

"Hey, Percy." 

"Hi Paul." 

"Hello dear." 

"Hi, Mom." 

"So, do you think you're improving?" Sally asked him. 

"Not really," Percy sighed. "They don't really understand me, and I wanna go home." 

"We want you to come home, too, Percy," Sally said. "But you need to get better, first." 

"It's not like schizophrenic paranoia is ever going to go away," Percy grumbled. 

"It's not about being cured," Sally told him. "It's about learning to live and cope with it. Medication will only take you part of the way. You need to do the rest yourself." 

"Okay, Mom," he smiled. 

"And if I get one more phone call about you trying to beat up the nurses or doctors, I won't bring blue cookies next time." 

"Yes, Mom." 

"Okay, dear, I think we have to leave." 

Nico's friends hugged him goodbye and he hugged and kissed Percy as a farewell. 

"Aww, we don't get kisses, too?" Leo joked. 

Nico laughed. "No, that's a thing only Percy gets." 

"Yeah, perks of being me," Percy grinned as he placed a kiss on Nico's nose. 

"Bye, Percy," Nico said. 

"See you later, Neeks," Percy replied. 

With that, they left, and Percy felt lonely. Why must Visiting Time be so short? Why did Nico have to leave him? He wished he could see him more. He wished he could see Tyson, Ella, and his best friend Grover again. His mind was set: he had to get out of there. 

\- - - - - 

Percy's behavior improved over the next few weeks, and Nico was extremely proud of him. The doctors hardly sedated him anymore, and he was getting good reports. Percy thought that it was practically written in stone that he was going to be discharged soon. It couldn't come soon enough. 

Percy walked through the clean, blank white hallway, which was unusually empty for a Saturday. However, the next day was Sunday, and Nico was going to visit. When Nico visited, he was the happiest person in the world. Nico made everything better, and that was one of the many reasons why Percy loved him. 

He strode by Annabeth's office, his ear tuning in to what the doctor was saying once he heard her mention his name. 

"Percy has been acting much better," Annabeth told Dr. Chiron. 

Percy moved closer to the door to eavesdrop, his hopes high to hear if he was going to be discharged in the near future. 

"He has been doing remarkably well, participating in therapy and cooperating in group therapy. He hasn't had one of his episodes for about two weeks. However, due to some circumstances, we have to keep him here for another year or so." 

Percy felt like his stomach dropped into his legs. "Why a year?" he thought angrily. "A full year? Hasn't nearly two years been enough?" 

"And what are those circumstances?" he heard Dr. Chiron ask. 

"Behavior improvement doesn't mean that he's learned to cope with his disorder," Annabeth told the other doctor. "I think we should observe him for a while longer, and if he improves even more in the next year, we will let him out. However, if there is one more of those episodes he tends to have, we must keep him here until we know he will never act up like that again." 

Percy growled and stormed into his room, furious at the doctors, the stupid hospital, but most of all, his disorder. Why couldn't have Sally married Paul sooner instead of Smelly Gabe? All he did was get drunk, played poker with his friends and beat on him and his mother. He thought about running away several times, but he didn't want to leave his mother alone with him. She did her best for him, after all, blue food being a prime example of the light in the darkness. It was all Smelly Gabe's fault he was there. 

Not like he could get revenge on him, though. He already took care of that, although Gabe Ugliano's death was labeled as an accident that was caused by the smelly man himself. Percy knew otherwise, and his mother did as well, but she was grateful to him for saving them. 

He was a nice guy at first, and Percy actually liked him. Then he and his mother got married, and he changed instantly. First impressions are often entirely wrong, but that was a whole new level of deceit and abuse. He was glad the fucker was dead. He did not miss him at all, and neither did his mother, as she went and married Paul. 

However, the stupid hospital, especially the doctors, were keeping him from his family, his love, and his life, and that infuriated him more than anything. He missed his Nico. He wanted to hold him all the time, to cuddle with him in the mornings, sharing body warmth. He wanted Nico to lean against him as they sat by a campfire, laughing and telling stupid stories to their friends, not encased in that stupid hellhole. And he probably was never going to get out. 

The thought was too much to bear. He felt his eyes brimming with angry, frustrated tears. He blinked them back, then gripped his pillow, beginning to punch it with a furious force, feathers eventually spilling out of it. 

"Whoa there Percy," said a female voice behind him, smugly. "Get into a pillow fight?" 

All he did was turn around and glare at Piper, whose smug grin immediately faded. 

"Hey, are you okay?" 

"No," Percy growled. "I have to get out of here! I don't care how, I just know I have to get out of here as soon as possible!" 

"Is this about Nico?" she asked. 

"No! Well, yes, he's the main reason, but this hospital is throwing my life away! I don't get to see Nico, Mom, Paul, Tyson, Ella, Grover, or anyone! The nurses and doctors all hate me, and I am trying my hardest to get better, but those bitches want to keep me in here for another year!" 

"I'll see what I can do," was Piper's response as she turned away, her brown, choppy hair and braided bits of it whipping around with her. 

"What can you do?" Percy mumbled hopelessly, but she was already halfway down the hallway. 

Piper already had a plan prepared. 

\- - - - - 

"Nico, you're grounded." 

"Why?" Nico asked, feigning ignorance. 

"I got a phone call from a lady named Sally Blofis who said you were going with her to Serenity Falls," his father told him. "Not only have you disrespected Persephone, you have disobeyed the only rule we gave." 

"But-" 

"No," Hades barked. "You are grounded. No library on Sundays, and you will come directly home after school. After then, you will not be leaving the house." 

"That is so unfair!" 

His father walked out of Nico's room without a response. Nico slammed his door loudly after him. 

\- - - - - 

Nico's phone vibrated loudly, bringing Nico from his peaceful slumber. No way could it be 6:30 yet, he thought as he picked up his phone, which was too bright. He squinted at the sudden light, since his eyes were accustomed to the darkness. Once his eyes adjusted, he saw that it wasn't his alarm, it was a phone call from a unrecognized number. He hesitantly answered it. 

"Hello?" he asked groggily. 

"Hey, Nico," Percy's voice came from the other end. 

He sounded on edge, as if he did something that could get him seriously in trouble. Maybe because it was his paranoia. However, Serenity Fall's number was saved in his contacts, so what phone was Percy calling him from? And why was he calling him at three o'clock in the morning? 

"Percy?" Nico asked. "Why are you calling me this late? Whose phone are you calling me on?" 

"Nico," Percy whispered into the phone. "I escaped."


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is smut in this chapter. if you don't like smut, then I'm so sorry XD (it's fluffy smut, though.)

"You did what?!"

Nico was appalled to say the least. How did he escape? The cameras were fixed quite recently. 

"I escaped," Percy repeated. "I think they're after me already. Can you come and get me?" 

"Yeah," Nico said, and without even thinking, he put on some clothes and snuck outside of his room. "Where are you at?" 

"I'm at the gas station about twenty miles away from the hospital," Percy informed. "I got a ride. It's the Sinclair one with the giant green dinosaur statue outside of it. Please hurry?" 

"I'll be right there," Nico told him. "I love you." 

"I lov-" the call was disconnected. 

Nico looked at his phone in confusion before turning it off and putting it on his nightstand. He snuck into his dad and Persephone's room, grateful that they were heavy sleepers, before taking his father's wallet and creeping down into the kitchen to take the keys of his father's black Mercedes from the key rack. 

He opened the garage and got into the car hurriedly before his dad woke up and noticed he was gone. He put the key into the ignition and the black Mercedes hummed to life. Nico closed the car door behind him before driving the car out of the garage and down the practically empty streets that were usually crammed with traffic, on his way to the Sinclair Percy told him he was currently at, on edge and paranoid that the hospital was going to get him again. 

\- - - - - 

Percy tapped impatiently at the bench he was sitting on, waiting for Nico who seemed to just take his time to get there. The metal and night breeze felt cold against his exposed skin. He wished he had brought a jacket. 

All of a sudden, he saw a familiar black Mercedes turn around the corner and stop right in front of the gas station. Percy stared at the car in awe, not noticing Nico had opened his door and was looking expectingly at him. 

"What are you waiting for?" Nico asked him. "Get in!" 

Percy nodded and ran around the car to get to the passenger seat. He sat down and closed the door behind him before Nico sped off into the night. 

"How did you escape?" Nico asked, not taking his eyes off the road. 

"Well, it was of my own brilliance," Percy bragged, causing Nico to raise a skeptical eyebrow at him. "Fine, fine. Damn, I thought you would buy that. Well, Piper stole the key from the front desk while Leo distracted Hazel by accidentally dropping his milk in the hallway in front of her office. She then slipped the key to me during lunch." 

"But the cameras?" 

"Piper broke them again a few days ago so she could smuggle ice cream from the Canteen." 

"Of course she did." 

"Hey, Nico," Percy said. 

"Hm?" 

"Thank you," he told him. "Thank you so much. God, I love you." 

"I love you too," Nico replied. "What are we going to do?" 

"Well, the security of the hospital, and the doctors I assume, are probably looking for me," Percy told him. "They would suspect that I've gone back home or went to your house." 

"So where do we go?" 

"Maybe a hotel?" Percy asked. Nico looked at him with an unsure look. "Just for tonight! I'll find somewhere else to stay until they've stopped looking for me." 

"Okay," Nico said. "I've got my dad's credit card, so we can pay for it." 

"You stole your dad's credit card?" Percy asked with a smug grin on his face. "Wow, I didn't know I was dating someone so rebellious." 

"You're telling me," Nico muttered, eyeing a cheap motel at the side of the road. "How about there?" 

"Sure," Percy shrugged. 

The car slowed and turned into the near-empty parking lot. 

The Corral was a dingy place; Nico could tell that from its appearance, and he felt hesitant about staying there, but he didn't want Percy to go back to the hospital he so greatly despised. He heard the sound of Percy's door closing and saw his boyfriend approach the hotel. 

Percy noticed Nico wasn't following him. He turned around to face the younger boy. "Well? You coming?" 

"Yeah," said Nico hesitantly as he began to follow Percy. 

Percy waited for him to catch up and grabbed onto his boyfriend's hand as they walked into the motel. Nico felt even more uneasy as he saw the man behind the desk. He was a pudgy middle-aged man with a receding hairline, who wore an awful-looking yellow, palm-tree-patterned button-up shirt. He had a little stubble on his round chin. 

"How can I help you?" he asked. 

"Hi, can we get a room?" Nico asked him. 

"Do you got the money for it?" asked the man. 

"Yes," Nico told him. "How much?" 

"Fifty for a night," the man answered. "But we only got one bed in each room. You boys alright with that?" 

"Yes," Percy answered. 

"Okay." The pudgy man held out his hand. 

Nico reached into the wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill; he didn't have to use his dad's credit card after all. The man took it with no reluctance and put it in his cash register. He then grabbed a key from the rack and handed it to Percy. 

"Can I get a name?" he asked. 

"Percy Jackson," Percy told him. 

"Peter Johnson?" 

"No, Percy Jackson," Percy repeated. 

"Tha' was what I said," said the grubby man. "Peter Johnson. Your room is 3B." 

"Let's go, Percy." Nico rolled his eyes and grabbed onto Percy's hand and led him up the stairs. 

Once they got into the room, Percy put the 'do not disturb' sign on the doorknob with a mischievous smirk on his face before locking the door behind him. 

"So, how-" 

Nico was interrupted by Percy pressing his lips to his and placing his hands on Nico's lower back. Nico immediately kissed back, burying his fingers in Percy's raven hair. Percy dragged his tongue across Nico's lower lip. Nico complied, opening his mouth wider so Percy's tongue could glide past his lips. The wet muscle explored Nico's cavern, licking around, before Nico began to move his tongue so it could play with Percy's. 

Percy's hands lowered so they were resting on Nico's ass, causing Nico's eyes to open in surprise for a moment before closing again. He wanted this. 

Nico took dominance for a moment, pushing Percy against the bed that sat in the middle of the grimy room and crawling on top of his boyfriend, pressing their lips together in a less fierce kiss. Percy raveled one hand into Nico's long hair, the other resting on his boyfriend's hip. 

Their kiss turned passionate, but not rough. Percy's hand moved from his hip and under his shirt, feeling what was underneath. Nico moaned into Percy's mouth, which went straight to Percy's groin. Percy grabbed onto the fabric of Nico's tee and began to push it upwards, hinting at Nico to discard it. Nico sat up, straddling Percy's hips, and pulled his shirt over his head. 

Percy examined every line and curve of Nico's exposed body, caressing his torso gently with his hands. 

Nico smiled at him before bending over and connecting their lips again, drawing a moan from Percy's lips. Nico's hands moved under Percy's shirt, feeling every line and ripple underneath the fabric, as Percy kissed him with renewed vigor. Percy pulled away for a slight moment to discard his own shirt, then flipped them over so he was on top and in between Nico's legs, which were wrapped around his hips. 

Their clothed erections moved against each other on accident, causing them both to moan. Neither of them cared if anyone else could hear them; they were too lost in each other. 

Percy began to kiss his boyfriend's neck. Nico tilted his head so Percy could have better access to his milky skin. Percy nibbled softly on his neck, causing the boy under him to let out a moan. He felt a shiver run down his spine at the glorious sound. He continued, pressing kisses onto the mole spots on his neck. He sucked on Nico's collarbone before searching for the boy's sweet spot, the sounds Nico was making fueling his arousal. 

He found it and sucked on it. Nico made such amazing noises, Percy thought he was going to lose his mind. He disconnected his lips from Nico's neck and gazed upon his sinuous body before playing with Nico's nipples. 

"Ah!" Nico moaned. "N-not there!" 

Percy smirked and continued the assault on his sensitive nipples before leaning down and licking one, which caused the boy under him to throw his head back in pleasure. 

Percy decided to not tease his boyfriend much, and instead kissed around on Nico's upper body as Nico played with Percy's hair. Percy kissed around Nico's belly button, admiring his boyfriend's lovely pale skin. Percy pulled away, connecting his lips back onto Nico's, kissing him slowly, but passionately. Nico tilted his head to deepen the kiss. 

Percy then pulled away, but before he could do anything, Nico felt down Percy's chest and stomach before stopping at Percy's pants button. He undid his pants before sliding them down Percy's thighs. Percy helped him, kicking his pants off of his legs and doing the same to Nico. Percy threw Nico's pants somewhere across the room, caressing Nico's smooth, milky legs. 

"He shaves," Percy thought. "That's kinda cute." 

Percy scooted down on the bed to kiss the insides of Nico's thighs, spreading Nico's legs further, but he never broke eye contact with Nico. Nico shivered, seeing Percy's face so close to his crotch. Nico's arousal now came to Percy's attention; it made a tent in his underwear. 

Percy caressed the tent with his pointer and middle finger, drawing a moan from Nico's lips and making him buck his hips. Percy smiled and kissed it, making the blush on Nico's cheeks deepen from a lovely pink to a shade of red. 

Percy began to slide Nico's underwear down his hips, looking at Nico for approval. Nico nodded, and lifted his legs to assist Percy. 

The image of Nico naked was nearly enough for Percy to cum in his underwear. Nico panted slightly under Percy's gaze. 

"Percy, please," Nico gasped. 

Percy began to rub at the head of Nico's dick with his pointer finger, resulting in a moan and a bead of precum to drip out of the slit and drip down Nico's shaft, Percy wanting to lick it up right away. Instead, Percy wrapped his hand around Nico's shaft, beginning to stroke him. Nico's back arched at the touch. 

Nico spread his legs wider, so now Percy could see everything. He could see his tight, puckered hole, which was practically begging for Percy to fuck him. Percy groaned in lust at the sight. Percy stuck his finger into his mouth, tasting the salty taste of Nico's precum. He wetted both his middle and index finger in saliva before rubbing his index finger against Nico's entrance. 

"Have you done this before?" Percy asked. 

"No," Nico replied, his voice dripping in pleasure. "Of course not. You were my first kiss, Percy." 

"I was?" queried Percy. "You seemed to have kissed someone before." 

"No, I never have," Nico answered. "Just put it in, Percy." 

Percy nodded, beginning to slide his finger inside of him. Nico was so nice and tight and warm around his finger. He wondered how nice and tight he would feel around his dick. Percy felt his dick throb in response to that thought. 

Nico's insides tightened as he hooked his finger. 

"Relax, baby," Percy told him softly. "It's alright." 

"It just feels so strange." Nico adjusted on Percy's appendage. "Stings a little, too." 

"It'll feel good in a moment, trust me," Percy told him. 

"Have you done this before?" 

"No." 

"Then how do you know?" 

"There was this Sex-Ed teacher that got really in-depth, okay?" 

Nico laughed before Percy added another finger. Nico winced a little. 

"It's alright, Nico-baby," Percy assured. "Just let your body get used to it." 

"Okay." 

Percy waited for a while until he scissored his fingers, stretching out Nico's passage. Nico bit his lip to not cry out in pain. 

"God, Nico," Percy growled. "You're so tight around my fingers, baby." 

"Per- Ah!" Nico cried out, feeling another finger slide into his hole and began to stretch him out. "Ow!" 

"'M sorry, love," Percy apologized, bending over and whispering assurances in Nico's ear. "Everything's gonna be okay. It'll feel good in a moment, I promise." 

"Mm, baby~" Nico moaned after a while as Percy was thrusting his fingers into him. "Ah! More!" 

"Are you sure you want this, Nico?" Percy asked, taking his fingers out of Nico's warmth. 

Nico whined from the emptiness. "Yes, please, Percy. I want you." 

"I want you too," Percy told him. "Really bad." 

Nico's eyes drifted down to Percy's still-clothed dick. "I see that." 

Percy gave him a sarcastic look before kissing his boyfriend gently and lovingly. He checked the drawer next to them for condoms, because who knew if there were some at a motel as trashy as this one. Sure enough, there was three packaged condoms and a small bottle of lube. Percy silently thanked the heavens as he grabbed a condom and the bottle of lube. 

Percy pulled off his boxers and stroked his erection a couple of times, moaning at the stimulation, before unwrapping the condom and pulling it over his dick. He then popped open the bottle of lube, poured some into the palm of his hand, and began to lather it onto his condom-clad erection, growling at the pleasure. 

Nico watched him in lust as he stroked his own member, bucking his hips into his hand. Percy took Nico's hand off of his member and grabbed his own, aligning it with Nico's entrance. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Of course Percy. Please, I want you." 

Percy nodded reluctantly, before pushing into Nico's heat slowly. Nico's teeth gritted as he felt Percy inside him. It was painful, but since Percy was lubed and he had fingered him, it didn't hurt as bad as it could've. 

Percy groaned, feeling Nico's warm tightness around him. It felt so much better than jerking off. 

"Oh, fuck, Nico," Percy moaned when he was fully seated inside his boyfriend. "You're so tight, holy shit." 

"Mm," Nico hummed in response. He slowly adjusted to Percy's size before saying, "You can move now." 

Percy obeyed, pulling out halfway and thrusting into him again, the pleasure increasing. 

"Oh my god, mmh," moaned Percy as he continued to thrust faster into the midnight-haired boy. 

Very, very slowly, the pain became pleasure as Percy continued to thrust, harder and faster. 

"Ah! Percy! Yes, yes, yes!" Nico said, succumbing to the pleasure Percy was giving him. "Faster!" 

"Holy shit, Nico, you feel so good around me," gasped Percy, nearly slamming into his boyfriend. "Oh God, so good." 

Nico could feel his dick move against his walls and all the sensitive spots in his passage. The heat was slowly rising in his stomach. He hardly had time to warn Percy before he came harder than he ever had in his life, releasing all over his and Percy's chest and stomach. He rode out his high as Percy continued to thrust into him, feeling close as well. He moved faster and harder, desperate for release. 

Eventually, he buried himself balls-deep into Nico's hole, releasing into the condom. Nico panted under him, drained from his intense orgasm. His throat hurt slightly from all of his moaning, and he was going to guarantee that his ass was going to hurt in the morning. 

Percy hovered over his boyfriend, panting and recovering from all the pleasure, before pulling out of his entrance and disposing of the condom. 

"Oh my God," Percy gasped as he collapsed at Nico's side on the bed. "That was amazing." 

"Mmhmm," hummed Nico in response, who was already nearly asleep. 

"I love you so much, Nico," Percy continued, placing a kiss on Nico's cheek. 

Nico smiled slightly at the feeling of Percy kissing him, even though he couldn't see it. "I love you too, Perce." 

Percy grinned before standing up and aiming for the bathroom for a wash rag. He wetted it in the sink and went back to the single bed, cleaning Nico's cum off of his boyfriend and himself. He tossed the soiled rag somewhere before pulling the covers over himself and his still very naked boyfriend, cuddling against him. 

Percy wrapped an arm around him as Nico scooted into his boyfriend's body for warmth, although he already had plenty of that. Percy kissed his hair before nuzzling his nose into it. He smiled as he felt Nico's arm wrap around him as well. He loved him so much. 

He closed his eyes and held Nico closer before hearing the unmistakable sound of keys unlocking the door to their room.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They live in New York, so, given their ages, it is not exactly “legal” to do the frickle frackle. Just clearing that up.

Hades di Angelo's phone rang at an ungodly hour in the middle of the night. He answered it without looking at the caller address.

"Can it wait until the morning?" he asked groggily as a greeting. 

"I apologize deeply, sir," said a young girl's voice on the other end of the phone. "But it is an important matter." 

"What is it?" asked Hades, rubbing the tiredness out of his eye with his free hand. 

"It came to our facilities' attention that Percy had escaped the hospital," she informed. "We already have contacted Percy's parents and they said he wasn't there, so is he at your house?" 

"I don't think so," Hades told her, getting out of bed. "I'll go check on Nico." 

He walked blindly down the hall and into Nico's room, only seeing an empty, unmade bed. His son was nowhere to be seen. 

"He's gone." Hades immediately went downstairs into the kitchen. They keys to the Mercedes was gone, too. "The car's gone, too. Damn it, where did he go?! He's in so much trouble." 

"Where could he have gone?" Hazel asked. 

"I don't know," answered Hades worriedly. "You don't think-" 

"They've ran away together?" 

"I'm thinking the same thing," Hades growled. "I told him he couldn't go and see his boyfriend, then when I learned he was going anyways, I grounded him." 

"That could be a motive," Hazel said. "He's a teenager; they're impulsive and hormonal." 

"He didn't pack any of his stuff, though. He might have just snuck out for the night." 

"Should we contact the police?" 

"I know the license plate number for the Mercedes, so that would be a good call." 

"We will do that right away, sir," Hazel told him. "Dr. Solace and Dr. Chase will pick you and your wife up in a moment. Percy's parents are already on the lookout for a black Mercedes." 

"Thank you," Hades told her. 

"It's only regulation, sir," Hazel said. "We've never had a patient escape before." 

"My son never ran off before, either, so it's a first for both of us, isn't it?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"I have to wake up my wife," Hades said. "She is not going to be happy, and she's going to complain about not getting her sleep." 

"No offense, sir, but this is your son we're talking about." 

"I am aware of the circumstances," barked Hades in a stressed tone. "He ran off and I have no idea where he went!" 

Hades woke Persephone and gave her a summary of what occurred. 

As Hades predicted, Persephone did complain more about her sleep than she talked about Nico, which did tick him off a little. His son was the gods know where with an escaped mental patient that he had as a boyfriend, and he stole his car and his wallet, as he later found out. 

\- - - - - 

Hades found himself cooped up in a minivan with several different people that he had never seen before: Dr. Solace, Dr. Chase, Hazel (the girl on the phone), a crippled man named Dr. Brunner, and Percy's parents, Paul and Sally Blofis, who sat in the front seats, fretting over where their son was. He was actually kind of surprised they weren't discussing punishments necessary for Percy, since their insurance was paying for his stay at the hospital, they must have had lots of bills for it, and he just escaped. 

"I see a black Mercedes!" Sally shouted, pointing at her window. 

Paul slowed and pulled into the parking lot of a dingy motel called The Corral. 

"I see it, too," Paul added as he pulled the car in behind the black Mercedes. 

"What's the plate number?" asked Hades. 

Sally read the exact plate number as Hades di Angelo's vehicle. 

"That's my car," Hades confirmed. 

"Finally," said Persephone, opening the door and getting out. "Let's just get this over with so I can get home and sleep." 

"Persephone," Hades growled. "I mean no offense to you by this, but this is my son here. I've been a bad parent." 

"No you haven't, darling," Persephone dismissed. "He's a teenager, and he needs discipline." 

"I know, but..." Hades sighed. "I should've let him visit him. This all probably wouldn't have happened if I did." 

"He would have disrespected me even if you did let him go," countered Persephone. "He was taught poorly-" 

"No he hasn't!" Hades interjected. "It's only that he hadn't had a proper father in his life. I'll change that now. I'll try to spend more time with him, and you should too, you being his stepmother and all." 

"Don't interrupt me," Persephone growled. "I know that—" 

"C'mon lets go," Dr. Chase interrupted the bickering couple as she, Will, and Hazel helped Dr. Chiron into his wheelchair. 

"We'll discuss this later," Persephone hissed. 

Hades agreed with her, for the first time all night, and followed the doctors into the motel, where there was a grubby middle-aged man who slightly resembled a potato with a receding hairline and terrible fashion taste. He was listening to loud jazz music, which blasted from a couple of speakers. He was playing pinochle with another man and was drinking from a Diet Coke can. He didn't seem to notice the group of people that were standing in the lobby. 

"Excuse me," Annabeth spoke loudly over the music. 

The owner looked up from his cards and at the group of people. 

"Whaddaya want?" he asked, turning down the music slightly. 

"Have you seen two boys, one seventeen, and one who just turned sixteen around here?" asked Sally. 

"Yeah, I have," said the pudgy man, taking a swig of his Diet Coke. "They been fucking like rabbits for the past 20 minutes. Tha' was why I had to turn the music up. I don't even like jazz, 's just the only station I get on this piece of shit—" 

"What room were they in?" asked Hades, now even more upset about it. 

"Can't tell you," he replied. "Motel policy." 

"I'm the younger one's father, and I'm not too happy at the moment, so you better take me up to that damn room right now or so help me!" shouted Hades. 

The atmosphere was tensely silent for a moment until the man went and got a spare key to their room and began to walk up the two flights of stairs to the boys' room. The group of people all followed, except Dr. Chiron, since there was no elevator nor wheelchair ramp in the motel, so he struck up a conversation with the other gentleman about pinochle. 

Once the owner of the motel got to Room 3B, he put the key in the lock and turned it, activating the tumblers, thus unlocking the door. He pushed the door open, the group of people walking inside. 

"Jesus!" Percy shouted, pulling up the comforter of the bed to conserve his privacy. He nudged Nico, who was asleep. 

"Mm, Percy, baby, just five more minutes, please," Nico mumbled tiredly, his eyes tightly clenched shut from exhaustion. 

"Nico," said Hades sternly, which revived Nico from his soporific state and he sat up quickly. 

"Dad!" Nico exclaimed in surprise. "Dad, I-I can explain-" 

"I don't want to hear it," Hades barked. "Get dressed, we're going home." 

Nico covered himself with a pillow as he gathered his clothes from off the floor and went into the bathroom to change into them. 

"Percy, dear, what were you thinking?" Sally asked him, concernedly. 

"I dunno, Mom, I just- I couldn't stand another moment of my life at that hospital," Percy began. "I tried my hardest to get better, I decided to actually comply with what they were telling me and behaving better. Then I learned they were going to keep me there for another year, and I just... I just snapped. I couldn't bear to spend any more time away from Nico, because seeing him every other week was like torture. I wanted to see him every day, I wanted to do things with him, like taking him out on dates and stuff. I felt like I was going to go insane if I had to spend another year at that place. I know you're trying to help me, Dr. Chase, Dr. Solace, Hazel, it's just... I can't do it anymore." 

"I'm sorry, Percy, but we are going to have to take drastic measures," Annabeth told him. "This whole situation is beyond what you have done before—" 

"I apologize for interrupting, but this is my boy," Paul interjected. "If you do anything too harsh on him, I won't be able to accept that." 

"He escaped from the asylum and he had intercourse with—" 

"We know what he's done," Sally said. "We also know that is against many rules and regulations you have at your hospital, but he is a human being, and he does not deserve to be locked up for the rest of his life." 

"Percy Jackson," Hades cut the conversation short as Nico stepped out of the bathroom, fully clothed. 

"Yes, sir," answered Percy with a polite tone, but with terror and dread in his stomach. 

"Do you love my son?" 

Percy looked over at Nico, who gave him a small smile. Percy returned it. "I do, sir. I love him." 

"Nico?" 

"Yes, Dad?" 

"Do you love Percy?" 

"Yes," Nico told him. "With all my heart." 

"Does he make you...happy?" 

"Yes, he does." 

"Alright," Hades said. 

Percy gave Nico a terrified look, which Nico consoled him of just by looking at him in that one way that gave him butterflies. 

The police had shown up, taken record of what happened. 

"Mr. di Angelo," called the head officer. 

"Yes?" asked Hades. 

"Would you like to press charges on Percy for what happened here tonight?" 

He glanced at Sally and Paul who were hugging Percy goodbye instead of scolding him. He wished that his son would love him as much as Percy so obviously loved, cared for, and respected his parents. 

"No." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yes." 

\- - - - - 

"I know it might be a little late to hear this, and I know that I have a good chance of being punished beyond belief, but I truly am sorry." Nico stared at the floor, on the verge of tears. 

"Oh, that may be an understatement, Nico," Persephone told him from the passenger seat of the Mercedes. 

"Nico, can you list all of the things you've done wrong?" asked Hades, not taking his eyes off the road. 

"I went to the hospital without permission," Nico began to list. "I lied about going to the library every Sunday, I mouthed off to Persephone, I stole the Mercedes and your wallet to go pick up my boyfriend, who you didn't want me to see in the first place, I spent $50 dollars of your money on that motel room, I had sex with Percy, and I am just stupid." 

"Nico, you're not stupid, you're only a teenager," Hades told him. "You don't know what the world has in store for you, yet. However, at least you know what you've done wrong." 

"You're not mad?" Nico asked, confused. 

"Yeah, I'm mad about it," Hades said. "I'm mad that my son is no longer a virgin, although you're only sixteen, but did you have protected sex?" 

Nico flushed red, embarrassed that this conversation was happening. "Yes, we did. He used a condom and lubricant." 

"Good." 

"Is that all you're mad about?" 

"No, I'm just disappointed in you, Nico." 

That was even worse than anger, Nico thought. He felt extremely guilty for everything he had done, but he didn't regret having sex with Percy, not even the next morning, when his ass and lower back hurt like a bitch. 

However, his dad didn't ground him, despite Persephone's protests. When Nico asked why, he replied with: "You are very guilty about it, am I correct?" 

"Yes, sir," Nico answered honestly. 

"Then that's punishment enough." 

\- - - - - 

Percy was grateful that his parents talked the situation through with the hospital facilities, so he wasn't going to be tied down to a bed for the rest of his life. His parents were actually trying their best to get him out of there, because they knew if he tried as hard as he could to cope with his schizophrenic paranoia, they could just put him on pills and take him to a psychiatrist every week. 

"So, Percy~" Piper grinned cheekily. "What happened last night?" 

Reyna, Leo, and Jason listened in, as they were curious on how his escape attempt played out. They had only heard bits and pieces through the grapevine, so why not hear the real story? 

"Well, I escaped using the key you slipped me, thank you, by the way, and I got a ride from some nice trucker lady named Hestia, who drove me to the Sinclair twenty miles down the road and gave me money for a phone call," Percy began. "I called Nico. He stole his dad's car and wallet to come and get me. We ended up staying at some grubby motel and things escalated and y'know..." 

Piper grinned mischievously. "So you and Death Boy did the do, then what happened?" 

"Our parents and the staff showed up at the motel and found us in bed together, but it was over by the time they got there, thank God-" 

"Okay, I'm not feeling uncomfortable at all with you talking about having sex with my friend," Jason said sarcastically. 

"Sorry, Superman," Percy apologized, earning a dirty look from the blonde. 

"So, it turns out his dad is pretty chill, but he's fucking terrifying," Percy continued. "He asked me if I loved Nico, and I obviously said yes, because I do, so, so much. It was weird, but it happened, then the police showed up, and I had to get dressed—" 

"You were naked the whole time?" Piper snorted. "That's embarrassing!" 

"Shut up, Piper," Percy told her. "Jesus. So, then I hugged my parents and I kissed Nico goodbye, and the doctors took me back here. They sedated me as a precaution, but not in front of my parents, how fucked up would that be, right? I just woke up an hour ago, and now, here I am." 

"Percy, guess who's here," said Hazel in a singsong voice. 

"My parents?" Percy asked. 

"Nico, too," Hazel said. 

"Really?" Percy asked, surprised, before he locked eyes with his love. 

"Hi, Percy," Nico greeted. 

Percy ran up to him and scooped him in his arms, leaving kisses on Nico's lips and all over his face. 

"Percy, we literally just saw each other last night," Nico told him, trying to get himself from Percy's constricting hold. "Jesus Christ." 

"I know, but I missed you." 

Piper made a fake gagging sound, causing Percy to glare at her. 

Nico ignored his friend and played with Percy's hair, pecking him on the cheek. 

"So, Nico, are you doing okay?" asked Reyna. 

Nico's face flushed red and he coughed embarrassedly. "Yeah, I'm fine. Pretty sore, but I'm fine." 

"That's not what I meant," she said, covering Leo's pointy ears. "We have innocent children here." 

Leo swatted Reyna away. "Get off me, woman, I'm not a child, and I'm certainly not as innocent as I used to be." 

"So, did anything interesting happen around here, excluding last night?" Nico asked. 

"Aww, but last night was the greatest night of my life, if you take out what happened afterwards—" 

"Nothing really," Jason interrupted Percy. "The tv broke, and Leo fixed it." 

Nico's eyes widened in surprise. "You did?" 

"Yep," said Leo confidently. "I'm good with tools. Unfortunately, they don't allow them here, so I can't use them very often." 

"That's great, Leo," Nico told him. "Anything... else happen while I was gone?" 

"Well," Leo smirked. "I'm also getting discharged. By the end of this week." 


	14. Epilogue

"So, Daddy, Auntie Piper, what happened next?" asked three children, one a thirteen-year-old, a brunette girl with brown eyes, a fourteen-year-old, a dirty-blonde-haired boy with blue-grey eyes, and a seven-year-old, a blonde girl with blue eyes.

All three were Percy and Nico's adopted children. The couple had been married for nearly fifteen-years now, and owned a home not far from where Percy's mom, Paul, and Percy's seventeen-year-old half-sister, who was soon going to be eighteen, lived in New York City. 

Their black Labrador, Mrs. O'Leary (she was named by Zoë, their youngest child) joined the children on the couch, licking the middle child's face, her name being Bianca di Angelo-Jackson, causing her to laugh slightly before pushing the dog's face away. 

"Well, a lot, actually," Percy replied. 

"But that's enough for tonight," said Nico's voice, who just entered the living room. "It's nearly time for bed, and Auntie Piper, Daddy, and I have to go to work tomorrow." 

"Please, Dad, just a little bit more," begged Bianca. She jutted out her lip in a pout, a trick she had learned from her other father, Percy. 

"Fine, fine," Nico complied, earning smiles from their children. "Just a little bit more." 

"Why don't you come and help them tell what happened next, Dad?" asked Zoë. 

"Okay, okay, I will." 

Percy let his husband sit between Piper and him, Percy wrapping an arm around him and pressing a wet kiss to his cheek. 

"Yuck, Percy," Nico complained, wiping his slobbery cheek with the back of his hand. "That's disgusting!" 

"C'mon, lovebirds, just tell the rest of the story," Piper told them, standing up. "Although, your dad's right, you guys. I gotta go home." 

"Awwww"s rang from each of the children. She gave them each a kiss on their foreheads before she went to grab her stuff. 

"See ya, Pipes," Percy waved to her as she grabbed her jacket and left their home. 

"So, what happened?" Zoë asked again. 

"Well, Uncle Leo was discharged, earning a sweet smooch from Uncle Jason before he left," Percy earned a playful backhand from Nico, who rolled his eyes. 

"After Jason was discharged, they started dating, and now they're married," Nico explained. "As with Piper, she sort of outgrew her thievery. Emphasis on the sort of. I still sometimes see her trying to steal some food from our fridge. Well, she was discharged after a while, and so was Percy, since Grandma Sally, who was pregnant with Aunt Estelle at the time, and Grandpa Paul pulled some strings with the director. We immediately started going on dates, and Percy asked me to marry him two years later." 

"Oh, c'mon, you're not even gonna explain how I did it? It took a lot of planning and Google searches, y'know," pouted Percy. 

Nico rolled his eyes again. "He took me to a carnival with Aunt Piper, Aunt Reyna, Uncle Jason, Uncle Leo, and Uncle Grover. At night, when all the lights were on, we went up on the Ferris Wheel, and when we were at the very top, Percy told me to look over at the carnival at my side. On the ground, all I saw in big, neon glowsticks was 'Will you marry me?' They were all signs your aunts and uncles were holding. I looked over at Percy, and he already had the ring out. I was so happy I cried." 

"Did you say yes, Dad?" asked Zoë. 

The whole family laughed at the little blonde's cuteness. 

"Of course I did, sweetheart. Especially since he asked so nicely." 

Percy smiled at Nico and gave him a kiss on the tip of his nose. 

"Don't forget that you made out with me after that," Percy reminded. 

"Ew," Bianca commented. "Yeah, Dad, I don't think we needed to know that." 

"Agreed," said the oldest, a boy named Charles. 

"What does 'made out' mean?" asked Zoë. 

Nico flushed red. 

"It means kissing, Zoë." 

"Dad looks like a tomato again," Bianca laughed. 

They all laughed. 

"So what happened after that?" Charles asked. 

"We got married, and we decided to adopt one night, so we adopted you, Charles, then waited a year, and adopted you, Bianca," Nico continued. "The next couple of years were hectic, so we had to wait a couple of years to adopt you, Zoë, but you guys were the cutest little things." 

"I agree," Percy added. 

"Yeah, once, only a couple of days after we adopted Charles, when I came back from work, I saw that Daddy had covered the whole inside of the house in bubble wrap," Nico laughed. 

"I was trying to make sure he wouldn't get hurt!" Percy defended. 

"I know, but it was cute," Nico said. "Alright, it's time to go to bed." 

"Awww," said the children in unison. 

"C'mon, guys," Nico told them. 

"Race you up the stairs," Bianca challenged Charles. 

"I'm totally gonna win," countered Charles, the two children running up the stairs. 

"Oh no you're not!" returned Bianca. 

"C'mon guys, wait up!" Zoë called, walking up after them. 

Percy and Nico laughed in adoration before Percy kissed Nico on the lips. 

"We should be going to bed, too, now," Nico told Percy. 

"Alright," Percy said before kissing his husband again. "Race you up the stairs. I'm gonna win." 

"Like hell you will." 

\- - - - - 

"Ah!" Percy moaned, gripping Nico's hips and throwing his head back onto his pillow as the younger man rode Percy's dick. "Ah, Nico! I'm gonna—" 

Nico arched his back, changing the angle of which Percy's dick was hitting inside him and moving faster. It hit against his prostate every time, and it was getting to be a little too much. Nico came, with a drawn out moan, continuing to bounce on Percy until he came inside of Nico. 

Nico collapsed onto Percy, panting and riding out his high from his orgasm. Percy held Nico close to him after his intense pleasure had gone away, but he still felt boneless. He kissed his husband's silky midnight mane, which was just as soft as he remembered when he nuzzled it for the first time. It smelled different now though, but the feeling was still the same, and he knew it would never change. 

"Nico?" Percy whispered. 

"Hmm?" was Nico's tired response. 

"Despite all of the other guys at the hospital, why did you choose me?" asked the older male. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I mean, you hated my guts. Why did you choose me?" 

"I didn't exactly hate you," Nico told him. "More like I didn't understand you." 

"You didn't understand me?" Percy asked, confused. 

"You were a puzzle to me, at first, but then I realized that you were an actual person, and people can't be solved, but they could be treated like they're a person, even if they don't consider themselves worthy," was Nico's answer. "That, and I really, really liked you after a while, even if I didn't notice. Then, we fell in love." 

"But, still, why me?" repeated Percy. 

"I don't know, Percy," said Nico. "I just love you. I don't know how to explain it, since love is an indescribable feeling. I guess I'm just out of my mind."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! This is honestly the first fanfiction I’ve finished in quite a while, so I am so proud of myself for pulling through all that writer’s block and get this finished. I really appreciate you spending your time to read it. Thank you!


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